System And Method Of A Television For Providing Information Associated With A User-Selected Information Element In A Television Program

ABSTRACT

A system and method in a television system for providing information associated with a user-selected information element in a television program, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS/INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

This patent application is a continuation application of non-provisionalapplication Ser. No. 12/881,110, filed Sep. 13, 2010, and titled “ASystem And Method Of A Television Providing Information Associated WithA User-Selected Information Element In A Television Program”, and isrelated to and claims priority from provisional patent application Ser.No. 61/242,234 filed Sep. 14, 2009, and titled “TELEVISION SYSTEM,” thecontents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety. This patent application is also related to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/880,530, filed Sep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD IN A DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR RESPONDING TO USER-SELECTION OF ANOBJECT IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/880,594, filed Sep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A LOCALTELEVISION SYSTEM FOR RESPONDING TO USER-SELECTION OF AN OBJECT IN ATELEVISION PROGRAM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/880,668, filedSep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM FORRESPONDING TO USER-SELECTION OF AN OBJECT IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM BASEDON USER LOCATION”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/881,067, Sep. 13,2015 herewith, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM FORPRESENTING INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH A USER-SELECTED OBJECT IN ATELEVISION PROGRAM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/881,096, filedSep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM FORPRESENTING INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH A USER-SELECTED OBJECT IN ATELEVISION PROGRAM”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/880,749, filedSep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM FORRESPONDING TO USER-SELECTION OF AN OBJECT IN A TELEVISION PROGRAMUTILIZING AN ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION NETWORK”; U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/880,851, Sep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN ATELEVISION SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISING INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITHA USER-SELECTED OBJECT IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”; and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/880,888, Sep. 13, 2010, titled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD IN A TELEVISION FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISING INFORMATION ASSOCIATEDWITH A USER-SELECTED OBJECT IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”. The contents ofeach of the above-mentioned applications are hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entirety.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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SEQUENCE LISTING

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MICROFICHE/COPYRIGHT REFERENCE

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Present television systems are incapable of responding to user-selectionof objects related to people in a television program. Furtherlimitations and disadvantages of conventional and traditional approacheswill become apparent to one of skill in the art, through comparison ofsuch systems with the present invention as set forth in the remainder ofthe present application with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Various aspects of the present invention provide a system and method ina television system for providing information associated with auser-selected information element in a television program, substantiallyas shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of thefigures, as set forth more completely in the claims, substantially asshown in and/or described in connection with at least one of thefigures, as set forth more completely in the claims. These and otheradvantages, aspects and novel features of the present invention, as wellas details of illustrative aspects thereof, will be more fullyunderstood from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary television system, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for providinginformation associated with a user-selected information element in atelevision program, in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method for providinginformation associated with a user-selected information element in atelevision program, in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary television, in accordancewith various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary television receiver, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary television controller, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating exemplary modules and/or sub-modulesfor a local television system, in accordance with various aspects of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION

The following discussion will refer to various communication modules,components or circuits. Such modules, components or circuits maygenerally comprise hardware and/or a combination of hardware andsoftware (e.g., including firmware). Such modules may also, for example,comprise a computer readable medium (e.g., a non-transitory medium)comprising instructions (e.g., software instructions) that, whenexecuted by a processor, cause the processor to perform variousfunctional aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope ofvarious aspects of the present invention should not be limited bycharacteristics of particular hardware and/or software implementationsof a module, component or circuit unless explicitly claimed as such. Forexample and without limitation, various aspects of the present inventionmay be implemented by one or more processors (e.g., a microprocessor,digital signal processor, baseband processor, microcontroller, etc.)executing software instructions (e.g., stored in volatile and/ornon-volatile memory). Also for example, various aspects of the presentinvention may be implemented by an application-specific integratedcircuit (“ASIC”) and/or other hardware components.

Additionally, the following discussion will refer to various televisionsystem modules (e.g., television modules, television receiver modules,television controller modules, modules of a user's local televisionsystem, modules of a geographically distributed television system,etc.). It should be noted that the following discussion of such variousmodules is segmented into such modules for the sake of illustrativeclarity. However, in actual implementation, the boundaries betweenvarious modules may be clear or may be blurred. For example, any or allof the functional modules discussed herein may share various hardwareand/or software components. For example, any or all of the functionalmodules discussed herein may be implemented wholly or in-part by ashared processor executing software instructions. Additionally, varioussoftware sub-modules, which may be executed by one or more processors,may be shared between various software modules. Accordingly, the scopeof various aspects of the present invention should not be limited byarbitrary boundaries between various hardware and/or softwarecomponents, unless explicitly claimed.

The following discussion may also refer to communication networks andvarious aspects thereof. For the following discussion, a communicationnetwork is generally the communication infrastructure through which acommunication device (e.g., a portable communication device, television,television control device, television provider, television programmingprovider, television receiver, video recording device, etc.) maycommunicate with other systems. For example and without limitation, acommunication network may comprise a cable and/or satellite televisioncommunication network, a cellular communication network, a wirelessmetropolitan area network (WMAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN),a wireless personal area network (WPAN), any home or premisescommunication network, etc. A particular communication network may, forexample, generally have a corresponding communication protocol accordingto which a communication device may communicate with the communicationnetwork. Unless so claimed, the scope of various aspects of the presentinvention should not be limited by characteristics of a particular typeof communication network.

The following discussion may at times refer to an on-screen pointinglocation. Such a pointing location refers to a location on thetelevision screen (e.g., a primary television screen, a secondarytelevision screen, etc.) to which a user (either directly or with apointing device) is pointing. Such a pointing location is to bedistinguished from other types of on-screen location identification,such as, for example, using arrow keys and/or a mouse to move a cursoror to traverse blocks (e.g., on an on-screen program guide) withoutpointing. Various aspects of the present invention, while referring toon-screen pointing location, are also readily extensible to such otherforms of on-screen location identification.

Additionally, the following discussion will at times refer to televisionprogramming. Such television programming generally includes varioustypes of television programming (e.g., television programs, newsprograms, sports programs, music television, movies, television seriesprograms and/or associated advertisements, educational programs, live orrecorded television programming, broadcast/multicast/unicast televisionprogramming, etc.). Such television programming may, for example,comprise real-time television broadcast programming (or multicast orunicast television programming) and/or user-stored televisionprogramming that is stored in a user device (e.g., a VCR, PVR, etc.).Such television programming video content is to be distinguished fromother non-programming video content that may be displayed on atelevision screen (e.g., an electronic program guide, user interfacemenu, a television set-up menu, a typical web page, a document, agraphical video game, etc.). Various aspects of the present inventionmay, for example in a television system, comprise receiving a televisionprogram, presenting such received television program to a user,determining an object in the television program that has been selectedby the user, determining based on the user-selected object one or moreactions to perform with entities remote from the user's local televisionsystem, and performing such determined one or more actions.

Also, the following discussion will at times refer to user-selectableobjects in television programming. Such user-selectable objects includeboth animate (i.e., living) and inanimate (i.e., non-living) objects,both still and moving. Such objects may, for example, comprisecharacteristics of any of a variety of objects present in televisionprogramming. Such objects may, for example and without limitation,comprise inanimate objects, such as information elements (e.g., graphicsand/or text that present information to a viewer of a televisionprogram). Such information elements may, for example, comprise graphicsand/or text in a television program that present sports information(e.g., a sports score, sports ticker, a sport name or symbol, a leaguename or symbol, a team name or logo, a player name or number, a sportsvenue name, a scoreboard, a clock, a sports statistic, etc.), economicinformation (e.g., a stock and/or commercial enterprise name or symbol,a stock ticker, a stock price, an economic metric, an owner and/ormanager name, revenue level and/or stock price chart, statisticalfinancial information, personal financial data associated with the user,etc.), general news information (e.g., a ticker and/or scrolling bannerwith headline information, sports news, economic news, world news,national news, local news, entertainment news, crime news, politicalnews, etc.), weather information (e.g., temperature, humidity, dewpoint, wind speed, radar image, satellite image, precipitation, weathermaps, historical weather information, severe weather warnings, weatherforecast information, etc.), entertainment information (e.g., textualinformation describing an upcoming sports event, musical event,theatrical event, parade, show, etc.), transportation information (e.g.,information describing public transportation, parking options, trafficreports, etc.), etc. In general, such information elements may, forexample, comprise any of a variety of types of objects in televisionprogramming that may be utilized to convey information to a viewer ofthe television programming. Note that such presented information may betailored by geographical region (e.g., information near the geographicallocation at which the user is viewing the television program,information associated with a region of interest that may be specifiedby the user, information associated with a user's home location, etc.).

Such user-selectable objects may also, for example and withoutlimitation, comprise inanimate objects, such as, consumer good objects(e.g., a general consumer product, clothing, automobiles or othervehicles, shoes, jewelry, furniture, restaurant, food, beverages,appliances, electronics, toys, artwork, cosmetics, recreationalvehicles, sports equipment, safety equipment, computer equipment,communication devices, books, home improvement products, medication,etc.), consumer service objects (e.g., objects (e.g., signs, banners,flyers, buildings, vehicles, etc.) related to health services, a fitnesscenter, a rehabilitation center, restaurant services, food services,entertainment services, repair services, insurance services, financialservices, security services, transportation services, shopping services,delivery services, education services, communication services, vacationservices, rental services, information services, legal services, etc.),premises objects (e.g., business locations, stores, hotels, signs,doors, buildings, landmarks, historical sites, entertainment venues,hospitals, government buildings, etc.), objects related to generalservices (e.g., objects related to free transportation, objects relatedto emergency services, objects related to general government services,objects related to free entertainment services, etc.), objects relatedto location (e.g., parks, landmarks, streets, signs, road signs, etc.),etc.

Such user-selectable objects may, for example, comprise animate objects,such as people (e.g., actors/actresses, athletes, musicians,salespeople, commentators, reporters, analysts, hosts/hostesses,entertainers, spokespeople, models, politicians, public servants, lawenforcement personnel, medical personnel, event officials, etc.),animals (e.g., pets, zoo animals, wild animals, etc.) and plants (e.g.,flowers, trees, shrubs, fruits, vegetables, cacti, etc.).

Turning first to FIG. 1, such figure is a diagram illustrating anon-limiting exemplary television system 100 in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention. The exemplary system 100 includes atelevision provider 110. The television provider 110 may, for example,comprise a television network company, a cable company, amovie-providing company, a news company, an educational institution,etc. The television provider 110 may, for example, be an original sourceof television programming (or related information). Also for example,the television provider 110 may be a communication company that providesprogramming distribution services (e.g., a cable television company, asatellite television company, a telecommunication company, a datanetwork provider, etc.). The television provider 110 may, for example,provide television programming and non-programming information and/orvideo content. The television provider 110 may, for example, provideinformation related to a television program (e.g., informationdescribing or otherwise related to selectable objects in programming,commerce information related to a consumer good and/or service, etc.).The television provider 110 may, for example, provide any or all of thetypes of information discussed herein. The television provider 110 may,for example, operate to (which includes “operate when enabled to”)perform any or all of the functionality discussed herein.

The exemplary television system 100 may also include a third partyprogram information provider 120. Such a provider may, for example,provide information related to a television program. Such informationmay, for example, comprise information describing selectable objects inprogramming, information to provide to a user upon selection of aselectable object in programming, information related to various actionsthat may be performed (e.g., with networked entities remote from theuser's local television system) upon user selection of a selectableobject, commerce information related to a consumer good and/or serviceprogram, guide information, etc. The third party program informationprovider 120 may, for example, provide any or all of the types ofinformation discussed herein. The third party program informationprovider 120 may, for example, operate to (which includes “operate whenenabled to”) perform any or all of the functionality discussed herein.

In various exemplary system scenarios, the third party programinformation provider 120 may, for example, correspond to a source of aconsumer good and/or service (e.g., a commercial enterprise, amanufacturer, a supplier, a distributor, a retailer, business, Internetbusiness, brick-and-mortar business, etc.). Such a consumer good and/orservice may, for example, be related to a user-selected informationelement in a television program (e.g., attire and/or memorabilia of ateam associated with a sports score, financial service associated with afinancial information element, garments associated with weatherinformation, tickets associated with an entertainment informationelement, etc.). Such a third party program information provider 120 mayalso, for example, comprise a repository for information of one or moreinformation elements in a television program that may be selected by auser. For example and without limitation, such a third party programinformation provider 120 may comprise a website associated with auser-selectable information element, a news website associated with auser-selectable headline, a weather service server associated with aweather forecast information element, an on-line ticket broker havingavailable tickets for an event described in an entertainment informationelements, etc.

For example, such third party program information provider 120 maycorrespond to a commercial enterprise website. Also for example, suchthird party program information provider 120 may correspond to a centralrepository for information and/or user interaction for a plurality ofsuch commercial enterprises (e.g., a news service, a weather service, atransportation service, an entertainment service, a commercialenterprise, a manufacturer, a supplier, a distributor, a retailer,business, consumer good and/or service rating company, a blog service, aconsumer advocacy service, etc.).

The exemplary television system 100 may include one or morecommunication networks (e.g., the communication network(s) 130). Theexemplary communication network(s) 130 may comprise characteristics ofany of a variety of types of communication networks over whichtelevision programming and/or information related to televisionprogramming (e.g., information identifying and/or describing and/orotherwise related to user-selectable objects in television programming)may be communicated. For example and without limitation, thecommunication network 130 may comprise characteristics of any one ormore of: a cable television network, a satellite television network, atelecommunication network, a general data network, the Internet, a localarea network (LAN), a personal area network (PAN), a metropolitan areanetwork (MAN), any of a variety of different types of home networks,etc.

The exemplary television system 100 may include a first television 140.Such a first television 140 may, for example, comprise networkingcapability enabling such television 140 to communicate directly with thecommunication network 130. For example, the first television 140 maycomprise one or more embedded television receivers or transceivers(e.g., a cable television receiver, satellite television transceiver,Internet modem, etc.). Also for example, the first television 140 maycomprise one or more recording devices (e.g., for recording and/orplaying back video content, television programming, etc.). The firsttelevision 140 may, for example, operate to (which includes “operatewhen enabled to”) perform any or all of the functionality discussedherein.

The exemplary television system 100 may include a first televisioncontroller 160. Such a first television controller 160 may, for example,operate to (e.g., which includes “operate when enabled to”) controloperation of the first television 140. The first television controller160 may comprise characteristics of any of a variety of televisioncontrolling devices. For example and without limitation, the firsttelevision controller 160 may comprise characteristics of a dedicatedtelevision control device, a universal remote control, a cellulartelephone or personal computing device with television controlcapability, any personal electronic device with television controlcapability, etc. The first television controller 160 may, for example,operate to (which includes “operate when enabled to”) perform any or allof the functionality discussed herein. In a non-limiting exemplaryconfiguration, the first television controller 160 may comprise anon-board display which may operate as a television screen (e.g., aprimary, secondary and/or parallel television screen) via which thefirst television controller 160 may present television programmingand/or interface with a user regarding user-selectable objects (e.g.,objects representative of consumer goods and/or services) in televisionprogramming.

The first television controller 160 (or television control device) may,for example, transmit signals directly to the first television 140 tocontrol operation of the first television 140. The first televisioncontroller 160 may also, for example, operate to transmit signals (e.g.,via the communication network 130) to the television provider 110 tocontrol television programming (or related information) being providedto the first television 140, or to conduct other transactions (e.g.,business transactions, etc.).

As will be discussed in more detail later, the first televisioncontroller 160 may operate to communicate screen pointing and/or objectselection information with the first television 140 and/or otherdevices. Also, as will be discussed in more detail later, variousaspects of the present invention include a user selecting auser-selectable object in programming. Such selection may, for example,be performed by the user pointing to a location on a television screen(e.g., pointing to an animate or inanimate object presented intelevision programming). In such a scenario, the user may perform suchpointing in any of a variety of manners. One of such exemplary mannersincludes pointing with a television control device. The first televisioncontroller 160 provides a non-limiting example of a device that a usermay utilize to point to an on-screen location.

As will be mentioned throughout the following discussion, variousaspects of the invention will be performed by one or more devices,components and/or modules of a user's local television system. The firsttelevision 140 and first television controller 160 provide anon-limiting example of a user's local television system. Such a user'slocal television system, for example, generally refers to thetelevision-related devices that are local to the television systemcurrently being utilized by the user. For example, when a user isutilizing a television system located at the user's home, the user'slocal television system generally refers to the television-relateddevices that make up the user's home television system. Also forexample, when a user is utilizing a television system at a premises awayfrom the user's home (e.g., at another home, at a hotel, at an office,etc.), the user's local television system generally refers to thetelevision-related devices that make up the premises television systemSuch a user's local television system does not, for example, comprisetelevision network infrastructure devices that are generally outside ofthe user's current premises (e.g., cable and/or satellite head-endapparatus, cable and/or satellite communication intermediatecommunication network nodes), devices generally associated withcommercial enterprises outside of the user's current premises, and/orprogramming source devices that are generally managed by televisionenterprises and generally exist outside of the user's home. Suchentities, which may be communicatively coupled to the user's localtelevision system, may be considered to be entities remote from theuser's local television system (or “remote entities”).

The exemplary television system 100 may also include a televisionreceiver 151. The television receiver 151 may, for example, operate to(e.g., which includes “operate when enabled to”) provide a communicationlink between a television and/or television controller and acommunication network and/or information provider. For example, thetelevision receiver 151 may operate to provide a communication linkbetween the second television 141 and the communication network 130, orbetween the second television 141 and the television provider 110(and/or third party program information provider 120) via thecommunication network 130.

The television receiver 151 may comprise characteristics of any of avariety of types of television receivers. For example and withoutlimitation, the television receiver 151 may comprise characteristics ofa cable television receiver, a satellite television receiver, etc. Alsofor example, the television receiver 151 may comprise a datacommunication network modem for data network communications (e.g., withthe Internet, a LAN, PAN, MAN, telecommunication network, etc.). Thetelevision receiver 151 may also, for example, comprise recordingcapability (e.g., programming recording and playback, etc.). Thetelevision receiver 151 may, for example, be a stand-alone component(e.g., a set top box) or may be integrated with any of a variety ofother television system components (e.g., a television, a videorecorder, a gaming station, etc.). The television receiver 151 may, forexample, operate to (which includes “operate when enabled to”) performany or all of the functionality discussed herein.

The exemplary television system 100 may include a second televisioncontroller 161. Such a second television controller 161 may, forexample, operate to (e.g., which includes “operate when enabled to”)control operation of the second television 141 and the televisionreceiver 151. The second television controller 161 may comprisecharacteristics of any of a variety of television controlling devices.For example and without limitation, the second television controller 161may comprise characteristics of a dedicated television control device, adedicated television receiver control device, a universal remotecontrol, a cellular telephone or personal computing device withtelevision control capability, any personal electronic device withtelevision control capability, etc.

The second television controller 161 may, for example, operate totransmit signals directly to the second television 141 to controloperation of the second television 141. The second television controller161 may, for example, operate to transmit signals directly to thetelevision receiver 151 to control operation of the television receiver151. The second television controller 161 may additionally, for example,operate to transmit signals (e.g., via the television receiver 151 andthe communication network 130) to the television provider 110 to controltelevision programming (or related information) being provided to thetelevision receiver 151, or to conduct other transactions (e.g.,business transactions, etc.). The second television controller 161 mayfurther, for example, operate to receive signals from the secondtelevision 141 and/or television receiver 151. Such signals may, forexample, comprise signals communicating television programming,information identifying and/or describing user-selectable objects intelevision programming and/or any of a variety of other information tothe second television controller 161. As a non-limiting example, thesecond television controller 161 may comprise an on-board display whichmay operate as a television (e.g., a primary television, secondarytelevision, parallel television (presenting on the on-board display asame television program as that being presented by the second television141), etc.). In such a configuration, the second television controller161 may, for example, operate to perform any or all of the functionalitydiscussed herein.

As will be discussed in more detail later, various aspects of thepresent invention include a user selecting a user-selectable object(e.g., an object associated with an information element, a person, aconsumer good and/or service, etc.) in programming. Such selection may,for example, comprise the user pointing to a location on a televisionscreen (e.g., pointing to an animate or inanimate object presented intelevision programming). In such a scenario, the user may perform suchpointing in any of a variety of manners. One of such exemplary mannersincludes pointing with a television control device. The secondtelevision controller 161 provides one non-limiting example of a devicethat a user may utilize to point to an on-screen location. Also, in ascenario in which the second television controller 161 comprises a touchscreen, a user may touch a location of such touch screen to point to anon-screen location (e.g., to select a user-selectable object, forexample, an information element).

As will be mentioned throughout the following discussion, and asmentioned previously in the discussion of the first television 140 andtelevision controller 160, various aspects of the invention will beperformed by one or more devices, components and/or modules of a user'slocal television system. The second television 141, television receiver151 and second television controller 161 provide another non-limitingexample of a user's local television system.

The exemplary television system 100 was provided to provide anon-limiting illustrative foundation for discussion of various aspectsof the present invention. Thus, the scope of various aspects of thepresent invention should not be limited by any characteristics of theexemplary television system 100 unless explicitly claimed.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary method 200 forproviding information associated with a user-selected informationelement in a television program, in accordance with various aspects ofthe present invention. Any or all aspects of the exemplary method 200may, for example, be implemented in one or more devices (or componentsor modules) of a user's local television system (e.g., in any one ormore of the first television 140 and/or second television 141, thetelevision receiver 151, the first television controller 160 and/orsecond television controller 161, etc., shown in FIG. 1 and discussedpreviously). Also for example, various aspects may also be performed inone or more system entities remote from the user's local televisionsystem.

The exemplary method 200 may, for example, begin executing at step 205.The exemplary method 200 may begin executing in response to any of avariety of causes and/or conditions, non-limiting examples of which willnow be provided. For example, the exemplary method 200 may beginexecuting in response to a user command to begin, in response to userselection of a user-selectable object (e.g., an object associated withan information element) in a television program, upon television and/ortelevision receiver and/or television controller reset or power-up, inresponse to a user input indicating a desire to provide object selectioncapability to the user, in response to identification of a user and/oruser equipment for which object selection capability is to be provided,in response to receipt and/or presentation of a television programcomprising user-selectable objects, in response to user payment of afee, etc.

The exemplary method 200 may, for example at step 220, comprisedetermining an identity of a user-selected object in a televisionprogram being presented to a user. Such user-selected object may, forexample, correspond to an information element in a television program,many non-limiting examples of which were provided previously (e.g., atext string, a text box, a graphical element, a ticker and/or tickerelement, a scrolling banner and/or element thereof, a scoreboard, abillboard, a street sign, etc.). Step 220 may comprise performing suchdetermining in any of a variety of manners, non-limiting examples ofwhich will now be provided.

For example, step 220 may comprise analyzing various sensor readings toidentify an object in television programming selected by a user. Forexample, step 220 may comprise performing such analysis in a localtelevision system component (or device) implementing the exemplarymethod 200. Also for example, step 220 may comprise receivinginformation from another television system component (or device)identifying an object in a television program that has been selected bya user. In such an exemplary scenario, step 220 may, for example,comprise receiving object identification information from anothertelevision system component (or device) of the user's local televisionsystem and/or from another television system component remote from theuser's local television system (e.g., via a direct communication link;via a personal area network, local area network or home area network;via the Internet, etc.).

Many examples of such object-selection determination are provided inU.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/242,234, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Additionally, examplesof such object-selection determination are also provided in: U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/774,380, filed May 5, 2010, titled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD IN A TELEVISION FOR PROVIDING USER SELECTION OF OBJECTS IN ATELEVISION PROGRAM”, Attorney Docket No. 21037US02; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/850,832, filed Aug. 5, 2010, titled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD IN A DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING USER-SELECTION OF OBJECTSIN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”, Attorney Docket No. 21038US02; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/850,866, filed Aug. 5, 2010, titled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD IN A TELEVISION RECEIVER FOR PROVIDING USER-SELECTION OF OBJECTSIN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”, Attorney Docket No. 21039US02; U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/850,911, filed Aug. 5, 2010, titled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD IN A TELEVISION CONTROLLER FOR PROVIDING USER-SELECTION OFOBJECTS IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”, Attorney Docket No. 21040US02; U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/850,945, filed Aug. 5, 2010, titled“SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A TELEVISION CONTROLLER FOR PROVIDINGUSER-SELECTION OF OBJECTS IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”, Attorney Docket No.21041US02; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/851,036, filed Aug. 5,2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A TELEVISION SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING FORUSER-SELECTION OF AN OBJECT IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”, Attorney DocketNo. 21051US02; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/851,075, filedAug. 5, 2010, titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD IN A PARALLEL TELEVISION SYSTEMFOR PROVIDING USER-SELECTION OF OBJECTS IN A TELEVISION PROGRAM”,Attorney Docket No. 21052US02. The contents of each of theabove-mentioned applications are hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entirety.

A user-selectable object in a television program may be identified byone or more identifiers comprising any of a variety of characteristics.For example, a user-selectable object may be identified by a universally(or globally) unique serial number or name. For example, auser-selectable object may be identified by a data structure thatincludes a plurality of code fields (e.g., country field, a company orenterprise ID field, a product type field, a product model field, adate/time field, a language field, an information source identifier, apersonal identifier, etc.). Further for example, in an exemplaryscenario where a user-selectable object in a television programcorresponds to an information element, the user-selectable object may beidentified by the information element's name, a name or other identifierassociated with a particular piece of information being presented by theinformation element, a type of information being presented by theinformation element, a name or identifier associated with theinformation presented by the information element, a person associatedwith the presented information, an organization associated with thepresented information, a commercial enterprise associated with thepresented information, a time/date stamp, a globally unique identifierfor the information element, a combination of name and number, etc.

Also for example, a user-selectable object may be identified, at leastin part, by a communication network address at which information about auser-selectable object may be obtained (e.g., a Universal ResourceLocator (URL), an Internet address, a memory address, a databaseidentifier, a server identifier and/or address, etc.). For example, auser-selectable object corresponding to an information element in atelevision program may be identified, at least in part, by a URLassociated with the information element or a portion thereof, an IPaddress associated with a particular piece of information beingpresented by the information element, a URL of a commercial enterprise'sdatabase of detailed information about general information beingprovided by the information element, an email address of a source ofadditional information, etc.

In general, step 220 may comprise determining an identity of auser-selected object (e.g., a user-selectable object associated with aperson) in a television program being presented to a user. Accordingly,the scope of various aspects of the present invention should not belimited by particular characteristics of any particular type ofidentification and/or of any particular manner of making such adetermination unless explicitly claimed.

The exemplary method 200 may, at step 230, comprise determining, basedat least in part on the object identity determined at step 220, one ormore actions to perform related to an information element associatedwith the identified user-selected object. The following discussion willgenerally refer to such information element as the user-selectedinformation element. Step 230 may comprise determining any of a varietyof different types of actions and may comprise making such determinationin any of a variety of manners, non-limiting examples of which will nowbe provided.

The determined actions may comprise any of a variety of characteristics,non-limiting examples of which will also be provided. Such actions may,for example, comprise determining information (e.g., information inaddition to information already being presented by the user-selectedinformation element, for example, more detailed information, additionalrelated types of information, etc.) to present to the user. Step 230may, for example, comprise retrieving such information from a knownlocation at an entity (e.g., a television system component, networkednon-television system component, etc.) local to and/or remote from theuser's local television system, conducting a search for such informationin one or more entities local to and/or remote from the user's localtelevision system, notifying one or more other entities (e.g., atelevision system component, networked non-television system component,etc.) of the user's selection of the user-selected information element(e.g., notifying a television network enterprise, a person associatedwith a user-selected information element, a commercial enterpriseassociated with a user-selected information element, a political partyassociated with a user-selected information element, a productionenterprise, a distribution enterprise, a rating company, an advertisingagency, an entertainment magazine, a media company, a movie studio,etc.), establishing a communication session by which a user may interactwith networked entities (e.g., one or more entities remote from theuser's local television system) associated with a user-selectedinformation element (e.g., communicating regarding the user obtainingadditional information, communicating regarding the user obtainingpersonal information related to a person associated with a user-selectedinformation element, communicating regarding the user obtaining aconsumer and/or good associated with a user-selected informationelement, communicating regarding membership in an organization relatedto a user-selected information element, etc.), interacting with a userregarding local television system control and/or control of a remotetelevision system component, interacting with a user regarding displayof a user-selected object and/or associated information, etc.

For example, step 230 may comprise determining, based at least in parton the determined object identity (or user-selected informationelement), to obtain (or acquire) one or more sets of information from aremote system entity (e.g., remote from the user's local televisionsystem) and/or from an entity of the user's local television system,where such one or more sets of information may then, for example, bepresented to the user. Such information obtaining may comprisecharacteristics of any of a variety of different manners of obtainingsuch information.

For example, step 230 may comprise determining a memory address of aremote entity associated with the desired information, and retrievingthe desired information from the determined memory address. For example,such memory address information may be stored in a table or other datastructure indexed by object identity (e.g., by general object type orname, by exact object identity, by other objects associated with theidentified object, by object representative, by information elementidentity, by information element type, etc.). Such a memory may, forexample, be part of a user's local television system component (ordevice) implementing the step 230. Such a memory may also, for example,be a memory of another local television system component that iscommunicatively coupled to the component implementing step 230 (e.g., amemory accessible by direct memory access, via an information retrievalcommunication protocol between components, etc.). Such a memory mayadditionally, for example, be a memory of a system entity that is remotefrom the user's local television system that is communicatively coupledto the component implementing step 230 (e.g., a memory accessible bydirect memory access, via an information retrieval communicationprotocol between components, etc.).

Also for example, step 230 may comprise determining, based at least inpart on the determined object identity (or user-selected informationelement), a communication network address (e.g., a network address of aone or more components remote from the user's local television system, atelevision communication network address, an Internet address, and URL,an email address, etc.). For example, such network address informationmay be stored in a table or other data structure indexed by objectidentity (e.g., by general object type or name, by exact objectidentity, by other objects associated with the identified object, byobject representative, by information element identity, by informationelement type, etc.). Such a network address may, for example, correspondto a network address at which information related to the identifiedobject (or associated information element) may be obtained, a networkaddress of a networked entity with which a communication session may beinitiated and/or managed (e.g., to obtain information related to auser-selected information element, to interact with the user regardingobtaining additional information associated with the user-selectedinformation element, etc.), etc.

In an information-determining scenario, the determined information maycomprise characteristics of any of a variety of different types ofinformation related to a user-selected information element. For exampleand without limitation, the determined information may compriseinformation in addition to information being presented by auser-selected information element. Such additional information may, forexample, comprise additional score information, additional statisticsinformation, additional game information, additional team information,additional information about a player, additional information about astock and/or bond, additional financial information about a commercialenterprise and/or person, additional price information, additionaleconomic information, additional historical financial information,additional news information, a more detailed account of a news event,additional or more detailed weather information, additional emergencyinformation, additional information about obtaining a consumer goodand/or service, additional information about an entertainment eventand/or venue, ticket information, additional transportation information,etc.

For example, in an exemplary scenario where a user-selected informationelement is related to a person or a plurality of people, the determinedinformation (e.g., information in addition to that provided by theuser-selected information element) may comprise information about theperson (e.g., information describing any or all aspects of the person,history of the person, biography of the person, physical characteristicsof the person, income of the person, organizations with which the personis associated, information regarding the person's employers, informationregarding the person's family life, information regarding projects inwhich the person has worked, sports statistics of the person, financialdata for the person, works of authorship of the person, contactinformation for the person or associates thereof, award information,educational background, headlines associated with the person, images ofthe person, videos of the person, audio recordings of the person,information of managers and/or agents associated with the person,charitable organizations with which the person is associated,information of a team with which the person is associated, activities ofthe person, information of goods and/or services endorsed by the person,critiques of the person and/or the person's activities, information oforganizations and/or clubs associated with the person, etc.), etc.

Also for example, in an exemplary scenario where a user-selectedinformation element is related to a consumer good and/or service, theinformation (e.g., information in addition to that provided by theuser-selected information element) may comprise information describingcost of such consumer good and/or service, information describingoperation of such consumer good and/or service, information indicatingto the user how the user may obtain such a consumer good and/or service,etc.

Note that in an information-determining and/or presenting scenario, suchinformation presentation may be performed utilizing any of a variety ofmedia. For example and without limitation, such information presentationmay comprise presenting information graphically and/or textually on ascreen (e.g., on a television screen, on a television controller screen,on a personal computer screen, etc.), presenting information audibly(e.g., utilizing speakers on-board and/or communicatively coupled to atelevision system component), communicating information via email,providing such information in hard-copy form, etc.

In general, step 230 may comprise determining to obtain any of a varietyof types of information (e.g., information in addition to that currentlybeing provided by a user-selected information element) related a touser-selected information element (e.g., from a system entity local toand/or remote from the user's local television system), where suchinformation may for example, be presented to the user and/or utilized toperform additional actions on behalf of the user.

Step 230 may also, for example, comprise determining to conduct, basedat least in part on the determined object identity, a search forinformation related to the information element associated with theidentified user-selected object. Such a search may, for example,comprise a search of one or more entities (or system components) remotefrom the user's local television system (e.g., a search only of suchremote entities or a search of such remote entities in addition to oneor more components of the user's local television system, homecommunication network, etc.).

For example, step 230 may comprise determining, based at least in parton the determined object identity (or associated information element),network search terms that may be utilized in a search engine to searchfor information related to a user-selected information element. Forexample, such search term information may be stored in a table or otherdata structure indexed by object (or information element) identity(e.g., by general object type or name, by exact object identity, byother objects (including other information elements) associated with theidentified object, by object representative, by people and/or commercialenterprises associated with the identified object, etc.).

In another exemplary scenario, step 230 may comprise determining torequest information for a particular user-selected information elementand/or type of user-selected information element from a remote entity.For example, step 230 may comprise determining a network address of aremote information server and communicating a request for additionalinformation related to a particular user-selected information elementfrom such remote information server. In an exemplary scenario comprisinga plurality of different information sources (e.g., remote informationsources) for respective user-selectable objects (or relateduser-selected information elements), step 230 may comprise determiningto which of the plurality of different information servers theinformation request should be sent.

As discussed above, one or more actions determined at step 230 maycomprise determining to obtain information corresponding to theuser-selected information element, where such information determiningmay, for example, comprise accessing such information directly frommemory, searching for such information in a variety of manners, etc.

In an exemplary scenario in which such information corresponding touser-selected information elements is stored in one or more televisionsystem entities (or other networked entities) remote from the user'slocal television system, step 230 may comprise determining to initiatean interactive session with the user to more clearly identifyinformation desired by the user. For example, step 230 may comprisedetermining that, since a relatively large amount of informationcorresponding to a user-selected information element in the televisionprogram is available, additional interaction with the user is necessaryto reduce (or control) the amount of information that may ultimately bepresented to the user. For example, step 230 may comprise determining toprovide a list (or menu) of types of information available to the user(and/or sources of such information) and solicit input from the userregarding the selection of one or more of the listed types (or sources)of information for presentation to the user.

In another exemplary scenario, step 230 may comprise determining tointeract with the user to determine a manner in which a determinedaction is to be performed (and/or whether to perform the determinedaction). For example, step 230 may comprise determining to interact withthe user to select a form of communication with which to communicatewith an information source and/or potential information source (e.g.,email, fax, live chat, instant messaging, telephone call, video phonecall, etc.). Also for example, step 230 may comprise providing a userinterface by which a user may specify the types of actions allowablewhen a user-selected information element is selected (e.g., provideadditional descriptive information only, establish a communication linkonly when such communication is approved by the user, only notify anentity of the object selection and provide no other information aboutthe user, pause presentation of the television program during theperformance of the determined actions, etc.).

As discussed above, one or more of the actions determined at step 230may comprise establishing a communication session (e.g., a one-wayand/or two-way communication session via the second communicationnetwork) by which a user may interact with networked entities (e.g.,information services, databases, news networks, commercial enterprisesystems, agents and/or representatives of a person, employers of aperson, sources of a good and/or service, etc.) related to auser-selected information element. For example, such networked entitiesmay comprise components (or devices) remote from the user's localtelevision system. In an exemplary scenario, step 230 may comprisedetermining to open a user interface session with an object informationdatabase (or server) remote from the user's local television system.Such database may, for example, comprise a television system entity, butmay also comprise a database independent of a television system (e.g., aserver with a general Internet presence, a server on a Local AreaNetwork (LAN) to which the user's local television system has access,etc.).

Such a user interface (e.g., a two-way user interface) may be utilizedby the user to interact with networked entities associated with auser-selected information element. For example, such a communicationinterface may be utilized by the user to interact with one or morenetworked entities remote from the user's local television system tocommunicate regarding desired information, communicate regarding theuser contacting a person and/or organization associated with auser-selected information element, communicating regarding acquiringand/or utilizing a consumer good and/or service associated with auser-selected information element, communicate regarding acquiringentertainment tickets associated with a user-selected informationelement, communicate regarding membership in an organization and/orservice related to a user-selected information element, communicateregarding contributing to a charitable cause with which theuser-selected information element is associated, etc.

In an exemplary scenario, step 230 may comprise determining to manage atwo-way Internet chat communication between the user and a person (orentity associated with such person) associated with a user-selectedinformation element in a television program. Such chat communicationmay, for example, utilize a screen of the user's television, televisioncontroller, personal computer, etc. In another exemplary scenario, step230 may comprise determining to manage (e.g., initiate and conduct) atwo-way voice communication between the user and a provider of aconsumer good and/or service (e.g., a ticket, an article of clothing, aperson, a consumer good, a type of food being consumed by a selectedperson, etc.) associated with a user-selected information element in atelevision program (e.g., to conduct a commercial transaction by whichthe user may obtain such consumer good and/or service). In yet anotherexemplary scenario, step 230 may comprise determining to manage thecommunication of an email to a person associated with a user-selectedinformation element (e.g., a person associated with a user-selectedscore and/or statistic, a person associated with a news article, aperson associated with a particular publicly traded company, etc.) in atelevision program. In still another exemplary scenario, step 230 maycomprise determining to execute an Internet web browser and navigate toa web page of a trading service to access on-line financial analysistools and/or equity trading functionality. In yet another exemplaryscenario, step 230 may comprise determining to present an on-line orderform to the user (e.g., on a display of the user's local televisionsystem) and provide a user interface by which the user may complete andsubmit such on-line order form to purchase a consumer good associatedwith the user-selected information element (e.g., submit such form to asupplier of a consumer good).

Also for example, such a user interface may be utilized to interact witha user regarding local television system control and/or control of aremote television system component. For example, such a user interfacemay be utilized to provide user control of television programpresentation (e.g., user control of remote and/or local televisionprogram sources).

Additionally for example, such a user interface may be utilized tointeract with a user regarding display of information related to auser-selected information element (e.g., interacting with a menustructure associated with categorized and/or layered levels of retrievedand/or available information, interacting with the user regarding screenlocation for presentation of such information, regarding size ofpresented information, regarding information scrolling control,regarding duration of information presentation, regarding whether topause presentation of the television program while such information isbeing presented to the user, etc.

Also as discussed above, one or more of the actions determined at step230 may comprise providing a user interface by which a user may controlpresentation of the user-selected object (e.g., text and/or graphics ofthe user-selected information element) to the user. Such an action may,for example, comprise providing a user interface by which the user maypause the television program, center the user-selected informationelement on the screen, zoom in and/or out on the user-selectedinformation element, etc. Such an action may, for example in anexemplary scenario where 3-D object (e.g., data chart) information isavailable (e.g., stored in a networked entity remote from the user'slocal television system, stored in a component of the user's localtelevision system, etc.), comprise providing a user interface by which auser may rotate the user-selected information element to provide theuser with a more complete understanding of the user-selected informationelement. For example, in a scenario in which the user-selectedinformation element comprises chart and/or table graphics characterizingparticular information, such functionality would provide the user thecapability to view the graphics and/or tables (e.g., multiple views,chart formats, table formats, etc.) in any of a variety of manners(e.g., to provide a mechanism by which the user may gain greaterfamiliarity with the information represented by such graphics and/ortables).

In another exemplary scenario, for example a scenario in which commerceinformation regarding ordering a consumer good associated with theuser-selected information element is available for the user to consider,such an action may comprise providing a user interface by which the usermay explore optional characteristics of the consumer good (e.g.,different available coloration, add-ons, delivery options, etc.).

Step 230 may, for example, comprise determining to perform an actioncomprising notifying an entity remote from the user's local televisionsystem of the selection of the user-selected object (or user-selectedinformation element). For example, step 230 may comprise establishing acommunication link with any of a variety of remote entities (e.g., aserver and/or database belonging to an information source and/orinformation topic, a person associated with a user-selected informationelement, an agent or organization associated with a user-selectedinformation element, a team and/or cast associated with a user-selectedinformation element, a commercial enterprise associated with auser-selected information element, an advertising agency associated witha user-selected information element, a team owner and/or publicrelations department associated with a user-selected informationelement, a commercial enterprise that produces and/or provides aconsumer product and/or service associated with a user-selectedinformation element, enterprises advertising a consumer object and/orservice, a television program server, a television network operator,etc.).

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which a userselects an object in a television program (e.g., a score, a ticker, aname, a news headline, a scrolling banner, etc.) that is associated withan information element, step 230 may comprise determining to communicatea message to a commercial enterprise associated with such user-selectedinformation element. In another exemplary scenario in which a userselects an information element in a television program associated with aperson or group, a message may be sent to a third party service thattracks user interest in such a person or group.

In an exemplary scenario comprising the communication of information toanother entity regarding user-selection of an object in a televisionprogram, such information may comprise any of a variety ofcharacteristics. For example, in a first exemplary scenario, step 230may comprise determining to notify a person, organization or commercialenterprise associated therewith, that an anonymous user has selected auser-selectable object associated with the information element. In asecond exemplary scenario, step 230 may comprise determining to sendinformation to the recipient about the user (e.g., demographicsinformation, geographical information, location information, generalregion of location, address information, age, income range information,information of previous purchases from a user and/or user residence,physical characteristics of the user, etc.). For example, in such aninformation-providing scenario, step 230 may comprise providing suchinformation in accordance with user preferences (e.g., stored in a userprofile and/or solicited from the user in real-time).

Note that such communication of object (or information element)selection information may be performed each time a user-selectableobject in television programming is selected, but may also be performedon a periodic basis and/or in response for a request for suchinformation. For example, step 230 may comprise determining to track(e.g., locally) user-selection of information elements (or typesthereof), for example maintaining a record of such selections.Information of such tracking may then be communicated to a remote systementity (e.g., a television programming provider, one or more respectivecommercial enterprises associated with the information elements, one ormore information sources associated with the information elements, athird party dedicated to tracking such information element selections,etc. In various scenarios, people and/or commercial enterprisesassociated with such user-selectable information elements may trackinterest in such information elements. Also, in various scenarios,commercial enterprises and/or advertising agencies may bill othercommercial enterprises as a function of the number of times users selecttelevision programming objects associated with the particularinformation elements (e.g., advertising cost as a function of userinterest).

As shown above, various user-selectable objects (or types of objects)that are associated with information elements may, for example, beassociated with any of a variety of respective actions that may be taken(e.g., by one or more components of the user's local television system)upon selection of a respective user-selectable object by a user. Suchactions (e.g., information retrieval, information presentation,information searching, consumer good ordering activity, communicationsession managing, third party notification, television system control,information presentation control, user interaction control, etc.) may,for example, be included in a table or other data structure. In such ascenario, for example, when a user selects object A (e.g., a sportsticker A associated with sport A) in a television program, step 230 maycomprise analyzing a table to determine that selection of object A isassociated with presentation of remotely stored score information forsport A to the user and providing the user a mechanism by which the usermay requests relatively more detailed information associated with aparticular team. In another example, when a user selects object B (e.g.,a scrolling banner comprising stock prices) in a television program,step 230 may comprise analyzing a table to determine that object B isassociated with presentation of a scrolling list of all current stockprices, and providing a user interface by which a user may select aparticular stock to view price history information and other financialinformation associated with the particular stock.

In still another example, when a user selects object C (e.g., a player'sname from a game summary) in a television program, step 230 may compriseanalyzing a table to determine that object C is associated withpresentation of a player's season and lifetime statistics to the userand a user interface mechanism by which the user may order commercialgoods associated with the player. In another example, when a userselects object D (e.g., a particular stock on a ticker presenting stockprices) in a television program, step 230 may comprise analyzing a tableto determine that object C is associated with execution of a web browserand presentation of a financial services website by which the user mayutilize any of a variety of financial analysis tools to analyze theperformance of the particular stock.

In another example, when a user selects object E (e.g., headline D in ascrolling and/or stationary list of news headlines), step 230 maycomprise analyzing a data structure to determine that object E isassociated with the acquisition (e.g., from a remote server) of atextual and/or stream video presentation of the story associated withheadline D, presentation to the user of a hyperlink by which the usermay access biographical information of the reporter associated with thenews story, and a user interface by which the user may participate in ablog associated with the news story. In another example, when a userselects object F (e.g., from a list of entertainment events), step 230may comprise analyzing a data structure to determine that object F isassociated with presenting the user with a calendar and seatingavailability for the entertainment event, and presenting the user with alist of entertainers participating in the event from which the user mayselect for additional information regarding each of such entertainers.

As discussed previously, step 230 may comprise determining one oractions to perform based on general type of a user-selected object(e.g., a general type of information element, for example, a stockticker) or based on specific identity of a user-selected object (e.g., asymbol of a particular company shown on the stock ticker). Step 230 mayalso comprising determining one or more actions to perform based on thegeneral type of a user-selected object and determining one or moreactions to perform based on specific identity (or other more specificidentifying characteristics) of a user-selected object. For example, asillustrated above, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario, user-selectionof an object associated with a particular sport may cause execution ofone or more actions generally associated with the entire sport (e.g.,presenting all of scores of the day for the particular sport, presentinga user interface by which the user may purchase tickets for a futuregame, etc.), and user-selection of the specific score may causeexecution of one or more actions specifically associated with the score(e.g., presentation of a detailed scoring summary and/or play-by-playdetail for the game).

Note that in all of the examples above, any or all of the information(e.g., commerce information, descriptive information, user interfaceinformation, etc.) may reside autonomously in the user's localtelevision system (i.e., in one or more components thereof) and/or mayreside in a system entity remote from the user's local television systemand communicatively coupled to the user's local television system.

Step 230 may, for example, comprise determining the one or more actionsautomatically (e.g., without direct user interaction). Also, step 230may comprise determining the one or more actions by interacting with auser. For example, in an exemplary scenario, step 230 may comprisedetermining a plurality of optional actions to perform associated with aparticular consumer good and/or service. In such a scenario, step 230may comprise providing a user interface by which the plurality ofoptional actions may be presented to the user for selection by the user.As with any or all of the user interaction discussed herein, such userinteraction may be performed using input and/or output devices of any ofthe user's local television system components (e.g., television,television receiver, television controller, etc.), of a user's personalcomputer, etc.

Note that any or all of the above-mentioned actions that involvecommunication with system entities via a communication network maycomprise utilizing any of a variety of communication networks, manyexamples of which were provided previously. For example, suchcommunication may occur via a television network (e.g., via the sametelevision network over which the television program including theuser-selected object is communicated). Also for example, suchcommunication may occur via a different (or different type of)communication network. For example, the television program may becommunicated to the user's local television system via a televisionnetwork, and next information corresponding to a user-selectedinformation element in the television program may be communicated via ageneral data communication network (e.g., the Internet, a LAN, etc.). Inyet another example, the television program may be communicated via theInternet, and next information corresponding to a user-selectedinformation element in the television program may be communicated via atelecommunication network.

In general, step 230 may comprise determining, based at least in part onthe object identity determined at step 220, one or more actions toperform related to an information element associated with the identifieduser-selected object. Accordingly, the scope of various aspects of thepresent invention should not be limited by characteristics of anyparticular user-selected object, characteristics of any particular typeof information element, characteristics of any particular person,characteristics of any particular action and/or any particular manner ofdetermining to perform any particular action unless explicitly claimed.

As discussed above, one or more actions determined at step 230 maycomprise determining to perform actions, where such actions may compriseaccessing information directly, searching for information, directlyrequesting information, managing a communication session, notifyingsystem entities of a user selection, etc. In such an exemplary scenario,information related to determining one or more actions to perform and/ordetermining how to perform such one or more determined actions may bestored in one or more components of the user's local television system.Such information (or a remote portion thereof) may also, for example, bestored in a remote entity.

In an exemplary scenario in which such information corresponding toselection and/or performance of actions associated with user-selectableobjects (or associated information elements) is stored in one or morecomponents of the user's local television system (e.g., a television, atelevision receiver, a television controller, etc.), the method 200 maycomprise receiving data associating a user-selectable object (orassociated information element) in the television program with one ormore actions and/or the performance thereof. For example, the method 200may comprise receiving a data stream (or other data communicationformat, for example, a file) comprising such information, and storingsuch information in a memory (or database) of the user's localtelevision system (e.g., before a need arises to access and/or utilizesuch information).

For example, in such a scenario, such data receiving may comprisereceiving such data embedded in a same television program signal thatcommunicates the television program to the user's local televisionsystem. Also for example, such data receiving may comprise receiving thedata in parallel with receipt of a television program signal thatcommunicates the television program to the user's local televisionsystem. Additionally for example, such data receiving may comprisereceiving the data in a signal that is independent of a televisionprogram signal that communicates the television program to the user'slocal television system (e.g., receiving such signals from a same sourceand/or from different respective sources). Further for example, suchdata receiving may comprise receiving the data in a plurality ofdifferent signals from a plurality of different respective sources.

As discussed previously, the received object information may be storedin memory (e.g., of the user's local television system) indexed byobject (or information element) identification, object (or informationelement) type, television program in which the object appears, sceneand/or frame of the television program in which the object appears or towhich an object selection window corresponds, etc. Also for example, thereceived object information may be stored in memory indexed (orotherwise accessible) by search terms.

Turning next to step 240, such step may comprise performing the one ormore actions determined at step 230. Step 240 may comprise performingsuch one or more actions in any of a variety of manners, non-limitingexamples of which will be presented below. Step 240 may, for example,comprise performing such one or more actions in respective mannersdependent on the respective natures of such one or more actions.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determined actioncomprises determining (or acquiring) information associated with auser-selected object (or corresponding information element), step 240may comprise performing such information determining. For example, step240 may comprise acquiring information associated with the user-selectedobject from a memory (or database) of one or more entities local toand/or remote from the user's local television system.

Also for example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determined actioncomprises determining (or acquiring) information associated with auser-selected object (or corresponding information element), step 240may comprise determining search terms (or other searching information)and performing such searching. Performing such searching may, forexample, comprise searching a storage of a local and/or remote entityfor such search terms, querying an entity local to and/or remote fromthe user's local television system with such search terms, requestinginformation from a local and/or remote entity concerning a particularuser-selected object (or type thereof), etc.

After information is determined, step 240 may, for example, comprisepresenting such determined information to the user. Such presenting may,for example, comprise displaying and/or generating a signal that causesthe display of the determined information on a screen of the user'slocal television system (e.g., on a screen of a television, on a screenof a television controller, on a screen of a television receiver and/oranother component of the user's local television system, on a screen ofa personal computer, etc.). Note that the user may also be providedinformation via any of a variety of alternative media (e.g., mail, fax,email, instant messaging, telephone, video phone, text messaging, etc.).

Additionally for example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determinedaction comprises establishing a communication session by which a usermay interact with one or more networked entities associated with auser-selected information element (e.g., with other components of theuser's local television system, with other components of a televisionsystem remote from the user's local television system, with othercomponents independent of the television system, etc.), step 240 maycomprise establishing and/or managing such communication session(s)utilizing the appropriate communication protocol(s) (e.g., wired and/orwireless network communication protocols).

Further for example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determinedaction comprises providing a user interface by which the user cancontrol user-selected object information (e.g., information related to auser-selected information element) being presented to the user, by whichthe user can manipulate a view of a selected object, by which a user caninterface with one or more components (or devices) of an entity remotefrom the user's local television system, etc., step 240 may compriseproviding such user interface to the user (e.g., by utilizing thevarious user I/O devices in the user's local television system).

Still further for example, in an exemplary scenario in which adetermined action comprises communicating information aboutuser-selection of an object (or associated information element) toanother entity (e.g., a commercial enterprise or other organizationassociated with the information element), step 240 may compriseperforming such communication.

In general, step 240 may comprise performing the one or more actionsdetermined at step 230. Accordingly, the scope of various aspects of thepresent invention should not be limited by characteristics of anyparticular type of action nor by characteristics of any particularmanner of performing such action unless explicitly claimed.

The exemplary method 200 may, at step 295, comprise performing continuedoperation. Such continued operation may comprise characteristics of anyof a variety of different types of continued operation, non-limitingexamples of which will be presented below.

For example, step 295 may comprise looping execution flow of theexemplary method 200 back to step 220 for continued user-selected objectdetermination, action determination and performing. Also for example,step 295 may comprise looping execution flow of the exemplary method 200back to step 230 for continued action determination and performanceregarding a user-selected object (or associated information element).Additionally for example, step 295 may comprise performing additionaluser interaction with the user to further refine the user-selectedobject actions determined at step 230 and/or performed at step 240. Forexample, step 295 may comprise interfacing with a user to determinewhich actions to perform and/or how such actions should be performed.Additionally for example, upon completion of the one or more actionsperformed at step 240 (e.g., in a scenario in which television programpresentation is paused during the performance of such actions) step 295may comprise resuming normal presentation of the television program.

Also for example, step 295 may comprise determining when the action(s)being performed at step 240 is complete. Step 295 may, for example,comprise making such a determination in any of a variety of manners. Forexample and without limitation, step 295 may comprise determining thatthe action performance is complete based, at least in part, on explicituser command indicating that the user no longer desires to interact withthe entity local to and/or remote from the user's local televisionsystem regarding user-selectable objects (or associated informationelement, person, consumer goods and/or services, etc.) in televisionprogramming. Also for example, step 295 may comprise determining thatthe action performance is complete based, at least in part, on userdismissal of presented information associated with a user-selectedobject (e.g., closing an information window and/or other GUI mechanismassociated with the user-selected object). Additionally for example,step 295 may comprise determining that the action performance iscomplete based, at least in part, on a timer (e.g., making suchdetermination a predetermined amount of time after an information and/ora GUI interface is presented to a user, after a user has last interactedwith the system regarding a user-selected object, etc.). Further forexample, step 295 may comprise determining that the action performanceis complete based on a user command to perform some other action (e.g.,a user command for normal television program play to resume (if halted),a user command for television program play at fast-forward until caughtup to real-time, a user command to jump presentation of the televisionprogram to real-time, etc.).

In general, step 295 may comprise performing continued operation.Accordingly, the scope of various aspects of the present inventionshould not be limited by characteristics of any particular type ofcontinued operation unless explicitly claimed.

The exemplary method 200 may be performed in any one or more components(or devices) of a user's local television system. For example, themethod 200 (or a portion thereof) may be performed in a television. Alsofor example, the method 200 (or a portion thereof) may be performed in atelevision receiver (e.g., a stand-alone cable and/or satellitetelevision receiver (or set top box), a digital video recorder withtelevision receiver capability, a gaming device with television receivercapability, etc.). Additionally for example, the method 200 (or aportion thereof) may be performed in a television controller (e.g., adedicated television or entertainment system remote control, a personalelectronic device with television control capability, etc.). Further forexample, the method 200 may be performed in any combination of theuser's local television system components. For example, in anon-limiting exemplary scenario, one or more modules of a television mayoperate to perform at least step 220, one or more modules of atelevision controller may operate to perform at least step 230, and oneor more modules of a television receiver may operate to perform at leaststep 240. Additionally, various portions of any of the above-mentionedmethod steps (e.g., step 220, 230 and 240) may be performed in any oneor more components (or devices) remote from the user's local televisionsystem.

Additionally, the steps of the exemplary method 200 (or aspects thereof)may, for example, be performed in real-time. In such manner, the usermay have relatively expeditious access to functionality associated withthe user-selected object. Alternatively for example, the exemplarymethod 200 (or aspects thereof) may be performed off-line in a manner inwhich functionality associated with the user-selected object is providedto the user at a later time (e.g., after presentation of the televisionprogram, upon the user logging into the user's computer system, upon theuser accessing email, etc.).

Further, any or all of the steps of the exemplary method 200 may beperformed for user selection of an object in television programming asthe programming is broadcast in real-time and/or may be performed foruser selection of an object in television programming that has beenrecorded on a user (or home) television programming recorder (e.g., apersonal video recorder (PVR), video cassette recorder (VCR), etc.) andis currently being presented to the user (e.g., at step 220) in atime-shifted manner. For example, a user may record a broadcasttelevision program on a PVR for later viewing, view such recordedprogramming at a later time, and while viewing such time-shiftedtelevision programming at a later time, select user-selectable objectsin such programming.

Similarly, any or all of the steps of the exemplary method 200 may beperformed for user selection of an object in television programming thathas been provided to the user (or stored by the user) on a physicalstorage medium (e.g., on a digital versatile disc (DVD), video cassetterecorder tape, non-volatile memory device, etc.). For example, a usermay purchase a set of DVDs including all episodes of a season of atelevision series, view each of such episodes at the convenience of theuser, and while viewing such episodes, select user-selectable objects insuch programming. Such DVDs may, for example, comprise any or all of theabove-mentioned information (e.g., memory and/or network addressing forentities remote from the user's local television system, generalinformation corresponding to user-selectable objects (or associatedpeople), user interface information corresponding to user-selectableobjects, executable software corresponding to user-selectable objects,etc.).

Turning next to FIG. 3, such figure is a flow diagram illustrating anexemplary method 300 for providing advertising (or commerce) informationassociated with a user-selected object in a television program, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention. The exemplarymethod 300 may share any or all characteristics with the exemplarymethod 200 illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed previously.

As with the exemplary method 200 discussed above, any or all aspects ofthe exemplary method 300 may, for example, be implemented in one or moredevices of the user's local television system (e.g., any or all or thefirst television 140 and/or second television 141, the televisionreceiver 151, the first television controller 160 and/or secondtelevision controller 161, etc., shown in FIG. 1 and discussedpreviously). Also, as with the exemplary method 200 discussed above,various aspects may also be performed in one or more system entitiesremote from the user's local television system.

The exemplary method 300 may, for example, begin executing at step 305.The exemplary method 300 may begin executing in response to any of avariety of causes or conditions. Step 305 may, for example, share any orall characteristics with step 205 of the exemplary method 200illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed previously.

The exemplary method 300 may, for example at step 310, comprisepresenting a television program to a user, where the program comprisesuser-selectable objects in the program. Step 310 may comprise presentingsuch television program to a user in any of a variety of manners,non-limiting examples of which will now be provided.

For example, step 310 may comprise receiving television programming.Many non-limiting examples of such television programming were providedabove. Step 310 may comprise receiving the television programming fromany of a variety of sources. For example and without limitation, step310 may comprise receiving the television programming from a televisionbroadcasting company, from a movie streaming company, from a user (orconsumer) video recording and/or playback device (e.g., internal and/orexternal to the television), from an Internet television programmingprovider, from a gaming device comprising television program capability,from a DVD player, etc.

Step 310 may also comprise receiving the television programming via anyof a variety of types of communication networks. Such networks may, forexample, comprise a wireless television network (e.g., terrestrialand/or satellite) and/or cable television network. Such networks may,for example, comprise any of variety of general data communicationnetworks (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a personal areanetwork, a metropolitan area network, etc.).

Step 310 may also, for example, comprise presenting received televisionprogramming to a user. Step 310 may, for example, comprise presentingtelevision programming received (e.g., received from a local and/ornon-local television program source) to a user in any of a variety ofmanners. For example, step 310 may comprise presenting the televisionprogramming on one or more of a screen of a television, televisioncontroller comprising a screen, television receiver comprising a screen,personal computer system, handheld computer, etc.

The presented television programming may, for example, compriseuser-selectable objects (e.g., objects associated with informationelements) in the television programming. Many non-limiting examples ofsuch user-selectable objects were presented above. In general, suchuser-selectable objects may, for example, comprise animate and/orinanimate objects in television programming that a user may select(e.g., using a pointing device, touch screen, or other user interface bywhich a user may identify an object in television programming beingpresented to the user).

In general, step 310 may comprise presenting a television program to auser, where the program comprises user-selectable objects (e.g., objectsassociated with an information element) in the program. Accordingly, thescope of various aspects of the present invention should not be limitedby characteristics of any particular manner of receiving and/orpresenting such a television program to a user unless explicitlyclaimed.

The exemplary method 300 may, at step 320, comprise determining anidentity of a user-selected object in a television program beingpresented to a user. Such user-selected object may, for example,correspond to an information element in a television program, manynon-limiting examples of which were provided previously (e.g., a textstring, a text box, a graphical element, a ticker and/or ticker element,a scrolling banner and/or element thereof, a scoreboard, a billboard, astreet sign, etc.). Step 320 may share any or all characteristics withstep 220 of the exemplary method 200 shown in FIG. 2 and discussedpreviously.

For example and without limitation, step 320 may comprise (e.g., atsub-step 322) locally determining such identity of a user-selectedobject (e.g., in a component (or device) of the user's local televisionsystem, for example, in a television, television receiver, televisioncontroller, etc.). Also for example, step 320 may comprise (e.g., atsub-step 324) receiving identity information regarding such auser-selected object from another component (or device) of the user'slocal television system (e.g., from a component of the user's localtelevision system different from the component implementing step 320)and/or from another television system component (or device) remote fromthe user's local television system.

The exemplary method 300 may, at step 330, comprise determining, basedat least in part on the object identity determined at step 320, one ormore actions to perform related to an information element associatedwith the identified user-selected object. Step 330 may, for example,share any or all characteristics with step 230 of the exemplary method200 illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed previously.

Step 330 may, for example at sub-step 332, comprise determining the oneor more actions automatically (e.g., without direct user interaction).For example, sub-step 332 may comprise determining one or more actionsto perform based on a predetermined action selection profile. Suchaction selection profile may, for example, comprise manufacturer and/orprovider information that is stored in the device implementing sub-step332 prior to such device being sold to a user. Also for example, suchaction selection profile may, for example, comprise information providedby the user prior to the need for such information (e.g., prior to step320 and/or step 310). The action selection profile may, for example,comprise information allowing particular actions (or types of actions)to be performed automatically (i.e., without user interaction), blockingparticular actions (or types of actions) from being performed withoutfirst interacting with the user for permission to perform such actions,and blocking other particular actions (or types of actions) at alltimes.

Also, step 330 may, for example at sub-step 334, comprise determiningthe one or more actions by interacting with a user. For example, in anexemplary scenario, sub-step 334 may comprise determining a plurality ofoptional actions to perform associated with a particular person (e.g., aperson associated with a user-selected object identified at step 320).In such a scenario, sub-step 334 may comprise providing a user interfaceby which the plurality of optional actions may be presented to the userfor selection by the user. Also for example, in such a scenario,sub-step 334 may comprise providing a user interface by which a user mayspecify the manner in which a particular action is to be performed(e.g., manner of acquiring and/or presenting information, types ofinformation to acquire and/or present, characteristics of communicationactions, types of information that may be provided about a user, etc.).As with any or all of the user interaction discussed herein, such userinteraction may be performed using input and/or output devices of any ofthe user's local television system components (e.g., television,television receiver, television controller, etc.), of a user's personalcomputer, etc.

The exemplary method 300 may, at step 340, comprise performing the oneor more actions determined at step 330. Step 340 may, for example, shareany or all characteristics with step 240 of the exemplary method 200illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed previously.

For example and without limitation, step 340 may, for example atsub-step 342, comprise providing information to the user regarding theuser-selected object (e.g., regarding the user-selected informationelement) identified at step 320. Also for example, step 340 may, forexample at sub-step 344, comprise acquiring such information from alocal and/or remote source of such information. For example, sub-step344 may comprise communicating with a commercial enterprise to obtaininformation regarding a consumer good and/or service associated with auser-selected object.

Additionally for example, step 340 may, for example at sub-step 346,comprise managing (e.g., establishing and/or conducting) a communicationsession by which a user may interact with networked entities (e.g.,remote from the user's local television system) associated with auser-selected object (e.g., communicating regarding additionalinformation related to a user-selected information element, generalperson and/or organization information, consumer good and/or serviceinformation, etc.). Further for example, step 340 may, for example atsub-step 348, comprise notifying one or more other television systementities of the user's selection of the user-selected object (e.g., aninformation providing service or other source of information, aproduction enterprise, a distribution enterprise, a rating company, anadvertising agency, etc.). Still further for example, step 340 maycomprise interacting with a user regarding local television systemcontrol and/or control of a remote television system component,interacting with a user regarding display of a user-selected objectand/or associated information, etc.

The exemplary method 300 may, for example at step 395, compriseperforming continued operations. Step 395 may, for example, share any orall characteristics with step 295 of the exemplary method 200illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed previously.

As discussed previously, any or all portion of the exemplary methods 200and 300 may be implemented in one or more components (or devices) of auser's local television system. Various non-limiting examples of suchimplementation will now be presented in the discussion of FIGS. 4-7.Note that, as discussed previously, at least portions of thepreviously-discussed steps may also be performed in components remotefrom the user's local television system. Accordingly, the scope ofvarious aspects of the present invention should not be limited by thefollowing focus on various entities of the user's local televisionsystem unless explicitly claimed.

Turning next to FIG. 4, such figure is a diagram illustrating anexemplary television 400, in accordance with various aspects of thepresent invention. The exemplary television 400 may, for example, shareany or all characteristics with one or more of the exemplary televisions140 and 141 illustrated in FIG. 1 and discussed previously. Also, theexemplary television 400 (e.g., various modules thereof) may operate toperform any or all of the functionality discussed previously with regardto the exemplary methods 200 and 300 illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 anddiscussed previously.

The exemplary television 400 includes a first communication interfacemodule 410. The first communication interface module 410 may, forexample, operate to communicate over any of a variety of communicationmedia and utilizing any of a variety of communication protocols. Forexample, though the first communication interface module 410 isillustrated coupled to a wireless RF antenna via a wireless port 412,the wireless medium is merely illustrative and non-limiting. The firstcommunication interface module 410 may, for example, operate tocommunicate with one or more communication networks (e.g., cabletelevision networks, satellite television networks, telecommunicationnetworks, the Internet, local area networks, personal area networks,metropolitan area networks, etc.) via which television video content(e.g., television programming) and/or other data (e.g., informationrelated to an information element, person information, commerceinformation, etc.) is communicated. Also for example, the firstcommunication interface module 410 may operate to communicate with localsources of television video content (e.g., video recorders, receivers,gaming devices, etc.). Additionally, for example, the firstcommunication interface module 410 may operate to communicate with atelevision controller and/or a television receiver external to thetelevision 400 (e.g., directly or via one or more intermediatecommunication networks).

The exemplary television 400 includes a second communication interfacemodule 420. The second communication interface module 420 may, forexample, operate to communicate over any of a variety of communicationmedia and utilizing any of a variety of communication protocols. Forexample, the second communication interface module 420 may communicatevia a wireless RF communication port 422 and antenna, or may communicatevia a non-tethered optical communication port 424 (e.g., utilizing laserdiodes, photodiodes, etc.). Also for example, the second communicationinterface module 420 may communicate via a tethered opticalcommunication port 426 (e.g., utilizing a fiber optic cable), or maycommunicate via a wired communication port 428 (e.g., utilizing coaxialcable, twisted pair, HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, any of a variety ofwired component and/or composite video connections, etc.). The secondcommunication interface module 420 may, for example, operate tocommunicate with one or more communication networks (e.g., cabletelevision networks, satellite television networks, telecommunicationnetworks, the Internet, local area networks, personal area networks,metropolitan area networks, etc.) via which television video content(e.g., television programming) and/or other data is communicated. Alsofor example, the second communication module 420 may operate tocommunicate with local sources of television video content (e.g., videorecorders, receivers, gaming devices, etc.). Additionally, for example,the second communication module 420 may operate to communicate with atelevision controller (e.g., directly or via one or more interveningcommunication networks).

The exemplary television 400 may also comprise additional communicationinterface modules, which are not illustrated. Such additionalcommunication interface modules may, for example, share any or allaspects with the first 410 and second 420 communication interfacemodules discussed above.

The exemplary television 400 may also comprise a communication module430. The communication module 430 may, for example, operate to controland/or coordinate operation of the first communication interface module410 and the second communication interface module 420 (and/or additionalcommunication interface modules as needed). The communication module 430may, for example, provide a convenient communication interface by whichother components of the television 400 may utilize the first 410 andsecond 420 communication interface modules. Additionally, for example,in an exemplary scenario where a plurality of communication interfacemodules are sharing a medium and/or network, the communication module430 may coordinate communications to reduce collisions and/or otherinterference between the communication interface modules.

The exemplary television 400 may additionally comprise one or more userinterface modules 440. The user interface module(s) 440 may generallyoperate to provide user interface functionality to a user of thetelevision 400. For example, and without limitation, the user interfacemodule(s) 440 may operate to provide for user control of any or allstandard television commands (e.g., channel control, volume control,on/off, screen settings, input selection, etc.). The user interfacemodule(s) 440 may, for example, operate and/or respond to user commandsutilizing user interface features disposed on the television (e.g.,buttons, etc.) and may also utilize the communication module 430 (and/orfirst 410 and second 420 communication interface modules) to communicatewith a television controller (e.g., a dedicated television remotecontrol, a universal remote control, a cellular telephone, personalcomputing device, gaming controller, etc.).

The user interface module(s) 440 may also comprise one or more sensormodules that operate to interface with and/or control operation of anyof a variety of sensors that may be utilized to ascertain an on-screenpointing location. For example and without limitation, the userinterface module 440 (or sensor module(s) thereof) may operate toreceive signals associated with respective sensors (e.g., raw orprocessed signals directly from the sensors, through intermediatedevices, via the communication interface modules 410, 420, etc.). Alsofor example, in scenarios in which such sensors are active sensors (asopposed to purely passive sensors), the user interface module(s) 440 (orsensor module(s) thereof) may operate to control the transmission ofsignals (e.g., RF signals, optical signals, acoustic signals, etc.) fromsuch sensors. Additionally, the user interface module(s) 440 may performany of a variety of video output functions (e.g., presenting televisionprogramming to a user, providing visual feedback to a user regarding anidentified user-selected object in the presented television programming,etc.).

The exemplary television 400 may comprise one or more processors 450.The processor(s) 450 may, for example, comprise a general purposeprocessor, digital signal processor, application-specific processor,microcontroller, microprocessor, etc. For example, the processor 450 mayoperate in accordance with software (or firmware) instructions. Asmentioned previously, any or all functionality discussed herein may beperformed (in-part or in-whole) by a processor executing instructions.For example, though various modules are illustrated as separate blocksor modules in FIG. 4, such illustrative modules, or a portion thereof,may be implemented by the processor 450.

The exemplary television 400 may comprise one or more memories 460. Asdiscussed above, various aspects may be performed by one or moreprocessors executing instructions. Such instructions may, for example,be stored in the one or more memories 460. Such memory 460 may, forexample, comprise characteristics of any of a variety of types ofmemory. For example and without limitation, such memory 460 may compriseone or more memory chips (e.g., ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory,one-time-programmable OTP memory, etc.), hard drive memory, CD memory,DVD memory, etc.

Also as discussed previously, various information corresponding touser-selectable objects (e.g., objects associated with informationelements) in television programming (e.g., descriptive informationdescribing information elements, communication information, informationregarding people associated with information elements, informationregarding obtaining consumer goods and/or services associated withinformation elements, user interaction information, user controlinformation, information describing interactions with local and/orremote devices and associated with user-selectable objects and relatedinformation, etc.) may be stored in memory. The memory 460 provides onenon-limiting example of a memory in which such information may bestored. Note that such memory 460 (or a portion thereof) may also beexternal to the television 400 and communicatively coupled thereto.

The exemplary television 400 may comprise one or more modules (notexplicitly illustrated in FIG. 4) that operate to receive and present atelevision program to a user. Such one or more modules may, for example,operate to utilize one or more of the user interface module(s) 440 topresent the television program on the display 470. The one or moremodules may, for example, operate to perform step 310 of the exemplarymethod 300 discussed previously.

The exemplary television 400 may comprise one or more user-selectedobject determination modules 454 that operate to determine an identityof a user-selected object (or an associated information element, person,consumer good and/or service, commercial enterprise, etc.) in atelevision program being presented to a user. For example, suchmodule(s) 454 may operate to perform step 220 of the exemplary method200 discussed previously and/or step 320 of the exemplary method 300discussed previously.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which the television 400locally determines an identify of a user-selected object, the module(s)454 may operate to utilize one or more of the user interface module(s)440 to interface with various sensors. Additionally, for example, themodule(s) 454 may operate to utilize the communication module 430 (andcommunication interface modules 410 and 420) to communicate withexternal systems regarding various sensor signals.

Also for example, in another exemplary scenario in which the television400 operates to receive information of the identity of a user-selectedobject in a television program from a source external to the television400, the module(s) 454 may operate to utilize the communication module430 (and communication interface modules 410 and 420) to communicatewith such external source.

The exemplary television 400 may also, for example, comprise one or moreaction determination module(s) 456 that operate to determine (e.g.,based at least in part on the determined identity of a user-selectedobject (or associated information element) in a television program) oneor more actions in which to engage with an entity local to and/or remotefrom the user's local television system. For example, such module(s) 456may operate to perform step 230 of the exemplary method 200 discussedpreviously and/or step 330 of the exemplary method 300 discussedpreviously.

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which such actiondetermination comprises analyzing a table or other data structurecorrelating object identification characteristics (or informationelement identification characteristics) to particular actions, themodule(s) 456 may operate to analyze such a table and/or other datastructure stored in the memory 460. Additionally for example, in anexemplary scenario in which such action determination comprisesinteracting with the user to determine an initial action and/orsubsequent action related to the identified user-selected object (orassociated information element), the module(s) 456 may operate toutilize the user interface module(s) 440 to perform such userinteraction.

The exemplary television 400 may additionally comprise one or moreaction performance modules 458 that operate to perform the one or moreactions determined by the action determination module(s) 456. Forexample, the action performance module(s) 458 may operate to performstep 240 of the exemplary method 200 discussed previously and/or step340 of the exemplary method 300 discussed previously.

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which a determinedaction comprises retrieving information associated with an object (orrelated information element) from a memory of an entity remote from theuser's local television system (e.g., a memory of a networked entityassociated with a particular information element or portion thereof, amemory of a networked entity of a commercial enterprise associated witha particular information element or portion thereof, etc.), themodule(s) 458 may operate to communicate with such memory (e.g., eitherdirectly, for example, utilizing DMA and/or indirectly utilizing aninterface of the remote entity) of the remote entity. For example, themodule(s) 458 may operate to utilize the communication module 430 (andfirst communication interface module 410 and/or second communicationinterface module 420) to communicate with such remote entity. Such aremote entity may, for example, comprise a communication infrastructurecomponent of a television system, a television server component, a cableand/or satellite head-end station, a networked information server, aremote computer communicatively coupled to the television, a web-serveror database of a commercial enterprise, etc.

Also for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which a determinedaction comprises searching for information, the module(s) 458 mayoperate to perform a search for such information. In such a scenario,the module(s) 458 may, for example, operate to perform such a search inmemory of other television system components and/or other networkedentities (e.g., web-servers or databases of commercial enterprises) thatare remote from the user's local television system (e.g., directlyutilizing direct memory access and/or utilizing a search interfaceprovided by a remote entity). For example, the module(s) 458 may operateto perform such a search in such remote entities utilizing thecommunication module 430 (and first communication interface module 410and/or second communication interface module 420) to communicate withsuch remote entities. For example, such remote entities may provide aninterface specifically adapted to request and/or search for informationstored in and/or accessible to such remote entities. In such a scenario,the module(s) 458 may operate in accordance with such interface.

In an exemplary scenario, a remote entity may operate in accordance witha protocol in which a requestor requests (via a communication network)information associated with a particular user-selected object (orassociated information element), and the remote entity responds to sucha request by communicating the requested information back to therequestor. In such a scenario, the module(s) 458 would operate inaccordance with such protocol when interacting with the remote entityvia the communication network.

Additionally for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which adetermined action comprises interfacing with a user of the television400, the module(s) 458 may operate to utilize the user interfacemodule(s) 440 to provide the user interface.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determined actioncomprises presenting object information (e.g., information of auser-selected information object) and/or different views of the objectto a user, the module(s) 458 may operate to utilize the user interfacemodule(s) 440 to perform such output (e.g., on the display 470 of thetelevision 400). Also for example, the module(s) 458 may operate toutilize the communication module 430 (and first communication interfacemodule 410 and/or second communication interface module 420) tocommunicate with one or more other local television system components toprovide such information to such one or more other local televisionsystem components for presentation on respective output displays of suchone or more other local television system components.

Further for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which a determinedaction comprises establishing and/or managing a communication sessionbetween the user and another system entity (e.g., a television systemand/or non-television system entity remote from the user's localtelevision system), the module(s) 458 may operate to utilize the userinterface module(s) 440 to provide the user interface and utilize thecommunication module(s) 430 (and first communication interface module410 and/or second communication interface module 420) to communicate toperform communication link establishment and/or management.

Still further for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which adetermined action comprises notifying one or more other televisionsystem and/or other networked entities of the user's selection of theuser-selected object (e.g., a networked entity associated with aninformation element, a networked entity associated with an informationsource that is associated with an information element, a productionenterprise, a distribution enterprise, a rating company, an advertisingagency, etc.), the module(s) 458 may operate to utilize thecommunication module(s) 430 (and first communication interface module410 and/or second communication interface module 420) to perform suchnotification.

Though not illustrated, the exemplary television 400 may, for example,comprise one or more modules that operate to perform any or all of thecontinued processing discussed previously with regard to step 295 of theexemplary method 200 and step 395 of the exemplary method 300, discussedpreviously. Such modules (e.g., as with the one or more modules 454, 456and 458) may be performed by the processor(s) 450 executing instructionsstored in the memory 460.

Turning next to FIG. 5, such figure is a diagram illustrating anexemplary television receiver 500, in accordance with various aspects ofthe present invention. The exemplary television receiver 500 may, forexample, share any or all characteristics with the exemplary televisionreceiver 151 illustrated in FIG. 1 and discussed previously. Also, theexemplary television receiver 500 may, for example, share any or allcharacteristics with the exemplary television 400 illustrated in FIG. 4and discussed previously. For example, the exemplary television receiver500 (e.g., various modules thereof) may operate to perform any or all ofthe functionality discussed previously with regard to the exemplarymethods 200 and 300 illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 and discussed previously.

The exemplary television receiver 500 includes a first communicationinterface module 510. The first communication interface module 510 may,for example, operate to communicate over any of a variety ofcommunication media and utilizing any of a variety of communicationprotocols. For example, though the first communication interface module510 is illustrated coupled to a wireless RF antenna via a wireless port512, the wireless medium is merely illustrative and non-limiting. Thefirst communication interface module 510 may, for example, operate tocommunicate with one or more communication networks (e.g., cabletelevision networks, satellite television networks, telecommunicationnetworks, the Internet, local area networks, personal area networks,metropolitan area networks, etc.) via which television video content(e.g., television programming) and/or other data (e.g., informationrelated to an information element, person information, commerceinformation, etc.) is communicated. Also for example, the firstcommunication interface module 510 may operate to communicate with localsources of television video content (e.g., video recorders, receivers,gaming devices, etc.). Additionally, for example, the firstcommunication interface module 510 may operate to communicate with atelevision controller and/or a television (e.g., directly or via one ormore intermediate communication networks).

The exemplary television receiver 500 includes a second communicationinterface module 520. The second communication interface module 520 may,for example, operate to communicate over any of a variety ofcommunication media and utilizing any of a variety of communicationprotocols. For example, the second communication interface module 520may communicate via a wireless RF communication port 522 and antenna, ormay communicate via a non-tethered optical communication port 524 (e.g.,utilizing laser diodes, photodiodes, etc.). Also for example, the secondcommunication interface module 520 may communicate via a tetheredoptical communication port 526 (e.g., utilizing a fiber optic cable), ormay communicate via a wired communication port 528 (e.g., utilizingcoaxial cable, twisted pair, HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, any of avariety of wired component and/or composite video connections, etc.).The second communication interface module 520 may, for example, operateto communicate with one or more communication networks (e.g., cabletelevision networks, satellite television networks, telecommunicationnetworks, the Internet, local area networks, personal area networks,metropolitan area networks, etc.) via which television video content(e.g., television programming) and/or other data is communicated. Alsofor example, the second communication module 520 may operate tocommunicate with local sources of television video content (e.g., videorecorders, receivers, gaming devices, etc.). Additionally, for example,the second communication module 520 may operate to communicate with atelevision controller and/or a television external to the televisionreceiver 500 (e.g., directly or via one or more interveningcommunication networks). The second communication interface module 520may, for example, operate to communicate video and/or graphicsinformation to a television and/or television receiver (e.g., using anyof the previous interfaces mentioned above).

The exemplary television receiver 500 may also comprise additionalcommunication interface modules, which are not illustrated. Suchadditional communication interface modules may, for example, share anyor all aspects with the first 510 and second 520 communication interfacemodules discussed above.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may also comprise a communicationmodule 530. The communication module 530 may, for example, operate tocontrol and/or coordinate operation of the first communication interfacemodule 510 and the second communication interface module 520 (and/oradditional communication interface modules as needed). The communicationmodule 530 may, for example, provide a convenient communicationinterface by which other components of the television receiver 500 mayutilize the first 510 and second 520 communication interface modules.Additionally, for example, in an exemplary scenario where a plurality ofcommunication interface modules are sharing a medium and/or network, thecommunication module 530 may coordinate communications to reducecollisions and/or other interference between the communication interfacemodules.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may also comprise one or moretelevision interface modules 535 that operate to provide an interfacebetween the television receiver 500 and a television (e.g., a televisionexternal to the television receiver 500 or housed with the televisionreceiver). For example, the television interface module(s) 535 mayoperate to provide video, graphical and/or textual information to atelevision (e.g., via the communication module 530, first communicationinterface module(s) 510 and/or second communication interface module(s)520).

The exemplary television receiver 500 may additionally comprise one ormore user interface modules 540. The user interface module(s) 540 maygenerally operate to provide user interface functionality to a user ofthe television receiver 500. For example, and without limitation, theuser interface module(s) 540 may operate to provide for user control ofany or all standard television commands (e.g., channel control, volumecontrol, on/off, screen settings, input selection, etc.). The userinterface module(s) 540 may, for example, operate and/or respond to usercommands utilizing user interface features disposed on the televisionreceiver 500 (e.g., buttons, etc.) and may also utilize thecommunication module 530 (and/or first 510 and second 520 communicationinterface modules) to communicate with a television controller (e.g., adedicated television remote control, a universal remote control, acellular telephone, personal computing device, gaming controller, etc.).

The user interface module(s) 540 may also comprise one or more sensormodules that operate to interface with and/or control operation of anyof a variety of sensors that may be utilized to ascertain an on-screenpointing location. For example and without limitation, the userinterface module 540 (or sensor module(s) thereof) may operate toreceive signals associated with respective sensors (e.g., raw orprocessed signals directly from the sensors, through intermediatedevices, via the communication interface modules 510, 520, etc.). Alsofor example, in scenarios in which such sensors are active sensors (asopposed to purely passive sensors), the user interface module(s) 540 (orsensor module(s) thereof) may operate to control the transmission ofsignals (e.g., RF signals, optical signals, acoustic signals, etc.) fromsuch sensors. Additionally, the user interface module(s) 540 may performany of a variety of video output functions (e.g., presenting televisionprogramming to a user, providing visual feedback to a user regarding anidentified user-selected object in the presented television programming,etc.).

The exemplary television receiver 500 may comprise one or moreprocessors 550. The processor(s) 550 may, for example, comprise ageneral purpose processor, digital signal processor,application-specific processor, microcontroller, microprocessor, etc.For example, the processor 550 may operate in accordance with software(or firmware) instructions. As mentioned previously, any or allfunctionality discussed herein may be performed by a processor executinginstructions. For example, though various modules are illustrated asseparate blocks or modules in FIG. 5, such illustrative modules, or aportion thereof, may be implemented by the processor 550.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may comprise one or more memories560. As discussed above, various aspects may be performed by one or moreprocessors executing instructions. Such instructions may, for example,be stored in the one or more memories 560. Such memory 560 may, forexample, comprise characteristics of any of a variety of types ofmemory. For example and without limitation, such memory 560 may compriseone or more memory chips (e.g., ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory,one-time-programmable OTP memory, etc.), hard drive memory, CD memory,DVD memory, etc.

Also as discussed previously, various information corresponding touser-selectable objects (e.g., objects associated with informationelements) in television programming (e.g., descriptive informationdescribing information elements, communication information, informationregarding people associated with information elements, informationregarding obtaining consumer goods and/or services associated withinformation elements, user interaction information, user controlinformation, information describing interactions with local and/orremote entities and associated with user-selectable objects and relatedinformation, etc.) may be stored in memory. The memory 560 provides onenon-limiting example of a memory in which such information may bestored. Note that such memory 560 (or a portion thereof) may also beexternal to the television 500 and communicatively coupled thereto.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may comprise one or more modules(not explicitly illustrated in FIG. 5) that operate to receive andpresent a television program to a user. Such one or more modules may,for example, operate to utilize one or more of the user interfacemodule(s) 540 to present the television program on the optional display570 of the receiver 500 (if such display is present) and/or a displayexternal to and communicatively coupled to the receiver 500. The one ormore modules may, for example, operate to perform step 310 of theexemplary method 300 discussed previously.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may comprise one or moreuser-selected object determination modules 554 that operate to determinean identity of a user-selected object (or an associated informationelement, person, consumer good and/or service, commercial enterprise,etc.) in a television program being presented to a user. For example,such module(s) 554 may operate to perform step 220 of the exemplarymethod 200 discussed previously and/or step 320 of the exemplary method300 discussed previously.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which the television receiver500 locally determines an identify of a user-selected object, themodule(s) 554 may operate to utilize one or more of the user interfacemodule(s) 540 to interface with various sensors. Additionally, forexample, the module(s) 554 may operate to utilize the communicationmodule 530 (and communication interface modules 510 and 520) tocommunicate with external systems regarding various sensor signals.

Also for example, in another exemplary scenario in which the televisionreceiver 500 operates to receive information of the identity of auser-selected object in a television program from a source external tothe television receiver 500, the module(s) 554 may operate to utilizethe communication module 530 (and communication interface modules 510and 520) to communicate with such external source.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may also, for example, compriseone or more action determination module(s) 556 that operate to determine(e.g., based at least in part on the determined identity of auser-selected object (or associated information element) in a televisionprogram, one or more actions in which to engage with an entity local toand/or remote from the user's local television system. For example, suchmodule(s) 556 may operate to perform step 230 of the exemplary method200 discussed previously and/or step 330 of the exemplary method 300discussed previously.

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which such actiondetermination comprises analyzing a table or other data structurecorrelating object identification characteristics (or informationelement identification characteristics) to particular actions, themodule(s) 556 may operate to analyze such a table and/or other datastructure stored in the memory 560. Additionally for example, in anexemplary scenario in which such action determination comprisesinteracting with the user to determine an initial action and/orsubsequent action related to the identified user-selected object (orassociated information element), the module(s) 556 may operate toutilize the user interface module(s) 540 to perform such userinteraction.

The exemplary television receiver 500 may additionally comprise one ormore action performance modules 558 that operate to perform the one ormore actions determined by the action determination module(s) 556. Forexample, the action performance module(s) 558 may operate to performstep 240 of the exemplary method 200 discussed previously and/or step340 of the exemplary method 300 discussed previously.

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which a determinedinteraction comprises retrieving information associated with an object(or related information element) from a memory of an entity remote fromthe user's local television system (e.g., a memory of a networked entityassociated with a particular information element or portion thereof, amemory of a networked entity of a commercial enterprise associated witha particular information element or portion thereof, etc.), themodule(s) 558 may operate to communicate with such memory of the remoteentity (e.g., either directly, for example, utilizing DMA and/orindirectly utilizing an interface of the remote entity). For example,the module(s) 558 may operate to utilize the communication module 530(and first communication interface module 510 and/or secondcommunication interface module 520) to communicate with such remoteentity. Such a remote entity may, for example, comprise a communicationinfrastructure component of a television system, a television servercomponent, a cable and/or satellite head-end station, a networkedinformation server, a remote computer communicatively coupled to thetelevision, a web-server or database of a commercial enterprise, etc.

Also for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which a determinedaction comprises searching for information, the module(s) 558 mayoperate to perform a search for such information. In such a scenario,the module(s) 558 may, for example, operate to perform such a search inmemory of other television system components and/or other networkedentities (e.g., web-servers or databases of commercial enterprises) thatare remote from the user's local television system (e.g., directlyutilizing direct memory access and/or utilizing a search interfaceprovided by a remote entity). For example, the module(s) 558 may operateto perform such a search in such remote entities utilizing thecommunication module 530 (and first communication interface module 510and/or second communication interface module 520) to communicate withsuch remote entities. For example, such remote entities may provide aninterface specifically adapted to request and/or search for informationstored in and/or accessible to such remote entities. In such a scenario,the module(s) 558 may operate in accordance with such interface.

In an exemplary scenario, a remote entity may operate in accordance witha protocol in which a requestor requests (via a communication network)information associated with a particular user-selected object (orassociated information element), and the remote entity responds to sucha request by communicating the requested information back to therequestor. In such a scenario, the module(s) 558 would operate inaccordance with such protocol when interacting with the remote entityvia the communication network.

Additionally for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which adetermined action comprises interfacing with a user of the televisionreceiver 500, the module(s) 558 may operate to utilize the userinterface module(s) 540 to provide the user interface.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determined actioncomprises presenting object information (e.g., information of auser-selected information element) and/or different views of the objectto a user, the module(s) 558 may operate to utilize the user interfacemodule(s) 540 to perform such output (e.g., on the optional display 570of the television receiver 500 if such a display 570 is included). Alsofor example, the module(s) 558 may operate to utilize the communicationmodule 530 (and first communication interface module 510 and/or secondcommunication interface module 520) to communicate with one or moreother local television system components (e.g., a television, televisioncontroller, personal computing device or system, etc. coupled to thetelevision receiver 500) to provide such information to such one or moreother local television system components for presentation on respectiveoutput displays of such one or more other local television systemcomponents.

Further for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which a determinedaction comprises establishing and/or managing a communication sessionbetween the user and another system entity (e.g., a television systemand/or non-television system entity remote from the user's localtelevision system), the module(s) 558 may operate to utilize the userinterface module(s) 540 to provide the user interface and utilize thecommunication module(s) 530 (and first communication interface module510 and/or second communication interface module 520) to communicate toperform communication link establishment and/or management.

Still further for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which adetermined action comprises notifying one or more other televisionsystem and/or other networked entities of the user's selection of theuser-selected object (e.g., a networked entity associated with aninformation element, a networked entity associated with an informationsource that is associated with an information element, a productionenterprise, a distribution enterprise, a rating company, an advertisingagency, etc.), the module(s) 558 may operate to utilize thecommunication module(s) 530 (and first communication interface module510 and/or second communication interface module 520) to perform suchnotification.

Though not illustrated, the exemplary television receiver 500 may, forexample, comprise one or more modules that operate to perform any or allof the continued processing discussed previously with regard to step 295of the exemplary method 200 and step 395 of the exemplary method 300,discussed previously. Such modules (e.g., as with the one or moremodules 554, 556 and 558) may be performed by the processor(s) 550executing instructions stored in the memory 560.

Turning next to FIG. 6, such figure is a diagram illustrating anexemplary television controller 600, in accordance with various aspectsof the present invention. The exemplary television controller 600 may,for example, share any or all characteristics with the exemplarytelevision controllers 160 and 161 illustrated in FIG. 1 and discussedpreviously. Also, the exemplary television controller 600 may, forexample, share any or all characteristics with the exemplary television400 illustrated in FIG. 4 and discussed previously and/or with theexemplary television receiver 500 illustrated in FIG. 5 and discussedpreviously. For example, the exemplary television controller 600 (e.g.,various modules thereof) may operate to perform any or all of thefunctionality discussed previously with regard to the exemplary methods200 and 300 illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 and discussed previously.

The exemplary television controller 600 includes a first communicationinterface module 610. The first communication interface module 610 may,for example, operate to communicate over any of a variety ofcommunication media and utilizing any of a variety of communicationprotocols. For example, though the first communication interface module610 is illustrated coupled to a wireless RF antenna via a wireless port612, the wireless medium is merely illustrative and non-limiting. Thefirst communication interface module 610 may, for example, operate tocommunicate with one or more communication networks (e.g., cabletelevision networks, satellite television networks, telecommunicationnetworks, the Internet, local area networks, personal area networks,metropolitan area networks, etc.) via which television video content(e.g., television programming) and/or other data (e.g., informationrelated to an information element, person information, commerceinformation, etc.) is communicated. Also for example, the firstcommunication interface module 610 may operate to communicate with localsources of television video content (e.g., video recorders, receivers,gaming devices, etc.). Additionally, for example, the firstcommunication interface module 610 may operate to communicate with atelevision controller and/or a television (e.g., directly or via one ormore intermediate communication networks).

The exemplary television controller 600 includes a second communicationinterface module 620. The second communication interface module 620 may,for example, operate to communicate over any of a variety ofcommunication media and utilizing any of a variety of communicationprotocols. For example, the second communication interface module 520may communicate via a wireless RF communication port 622 and antenna, ormay communicate via a non-tethered optical communication port 624 (e.g.,utilizing laser diodes, photodiodes, etc.). Also for example, the secondcommunication interface module 620 may communicate via a tetheredoptical communication port 626 (e.g., utilizing a fiber optic cable), ormay communicate via a wired communication port 628 (e.g., utilizingcoaxial cable, twisted pair, HDMI cable, Ethernet cable, any of avariety of wired component and/or composite video connections, etc.).The second communication interface module 620 may, for example, operateto communicate with one or more communication networks (e.g., cabletelevision networks, satellite television networks, telecommunicationnetworks, the Internet, local area networks, personal area networks,metropolitan area networks, etc.) via which television video content(e.g., television programming) and/or other data is communicated. Alsofor example, the second communication module 620 may operate tocommunicate with local sources of television video content (e.g., videorecorders, receivers, gaming devices, etc.). Additionally, for example,the second communication module 620 may operate to communicate with atelevision controller and/or a television external to the televisioncontroller 600 (e.g., directly or via one or more interveningcommunication networks). The second communication interface module 620may, for example, operate to communicate video and/or graphicsinformation to a television and/or television receiver (e.g., using anyof the previous interfaces mentioned above).

The exemplary television controller 600 may also comprise additionalcommunication interface modules, which are not illustrated. Suchadditional communication interface modules may, for example, share anyor all aspects with the first 610 and second 620 communication interfacemodules discussed above.

The exemplary television controller 600 may also comprise acommunication module 630. The communication module 630 may, for example,operate to control and/or coordinate operation of the firstcommunication interface module 610 and the second communicationinterface module 620 (and/or additional communication interface modulesas needed). The communication module 630 may, for example, provide aconvenient communication interface by which other components of thetelevision controller 600 may utilize the first 610 and second 620communication interface modules. Additionally, for example, in anexemplary scenario where a plurality of communication interface modulesare sharing a medium and/or network, the communication module 630 maycoordinate communications to reduce collisions and/or other interferencebetween the communication interface modules.

The exemplary television controller 600 may also comprise one or moretelevision interface modules 635 that operate to provide an interfacebetween the television controller 600 and a television (e.g., atelevision external to the television controller 600). For example, thetelevision interface module(s) 635 may operate to provide video,graphical and/or textual information to a television and/or televisionreceiver (e.g., via the communication module 630, first communicationinterface module(s) 610 and/or second communication interface module(s)620).

The exemplary television controller 600 may additionally comprise one ormore user interface modules 640. The user interface module(s) 640 maygenerally operate to provide user interface functionality to a user ofthe television controller 600. For example, and without limitation, theuser interface module(s) 640 may operate to provide for user control ofany or all standard television commands (e.g., channel control, volumecontrol, on/off, screen settings, input selection, etc.). The userinterface module(s) 640 may, for example, operate and/or respond to usercommands utilizing user interface features disposed on the televisioncontroller 600 (e.g., buttons, etc.) and may also utilize thecommunication module 630 (and/or first 610 and second 620 communicationinterface modules) to communicate with a television and/or televisionreceiver.

The user interface module(s) 640 may also comprise one or more sensormodules that operate to interface with and/or control operation of anyof a variety of sensors that may be utilized to ascertain an on-screenpointing location. For example and without limitation, the userinterface module 640 (or sensor module(s) thereof) may operate toreceive signals associated with respective sensors (e.g., raw orprocessed signals directly from the sensors, through intermediatedevices, via the communication interface modules 610, 620, etc.). Alsofor example, in scenarios in which such sensors are active sensors (asopposed to purely passive sensors), the user interface module(s) 640 (orsensor module(s) thereof) may operate to control the transmission ofsignals (e.g., RF signals, optical signals, acoustic signals, etc.) fromsuch sensors. Additionally, the user interface module(s) 640 may performany of a variety of video output functions (e.g., presenting televisionprogramming to a user, providing visual feedback to a user regarding anidentified user-selected object in the presented television programming,etc.).

The exemplary television controller 600 may comprise one or moreprocessors 650. The processor(s) 650 may, for example, comprise ageneral purpose processor, digital signal processor,application-specific processor, microcontroller, microprocessor, etc.For example, the processor 650 may operate in accordance with software(or firmware) instructions. As mentioned previously, any or allfunctionality discussed herein may be performed by a processor executinginstructions. For example, though various modules are illustrated asseparate blocks or modules in FIG. 6, such illustrative modules, or aportion thereof, may be implemented by the processor 650.

The exemplary television controller 600 may comprise one or morememories 660. As discussed above, various aspects may be performed byone or more processors executing instructions. Such instructions may,for example, be stored in the one or more memories 660. Such memory 660may, for example, comprise characteristics of any of a variety of typesof memory. For example and without limitation, such memory 660 maycomprise one or more memory chips (e.g., ROM, RAM, EPROM, EEPROM, flashmemory, one-time-programmable OTP memory, etc.), hard drive memory, CDmemory, DVD memory, etc.

Also as discussed previously, various information corresponding touser-selectable objects (e.g., objects associated with informationelements) in television programming (e.g., descriptive informationdescribing information elements, communication information, informationregarding people associated with information elements, informationregarding obtaining consumer goods and/or services associated withinformation elements, user interaction information, user controlinformation, information describing interactions with local and/orremote entities and associated with user-selectable objects and relatedinformation, etc.) may be stored in memory. The memory 660 provides onenon-limiting example of a memory in which such information may bestored. Note that such memory 660 (or a portion thereof) may also beexternal to the television 600 and communicatively coupled thereto.

The exemplary television controller 600 may comprise one or more modules(not explicitly illustrated in FIG. 6) that operate to receive andpresent a television program to a user. Such one or more modules may,for example, operate to utilize one or more of the user interfacemodule(s) 640 to present the television program on the optional display670 of the television controller 600 (if such display is present) and/ora display external to and communicatively coupled to the televisioncontroller 600). The one or more modules may, for example, operate toperform step 310 of the exemplary method 300 discussed previously.

The exemplary television controller 600 may comprise one or moreuser-selected object determination modules 654 that operate to determinean identity of a user-selected object (or an associated informationelement, person, consumer good and/or service, commercial enterprise,etc.) in a television program being presented to a user. For example,such module(s) 654 may operate to perform step 220 of the exemplarymethod 200 discussed previously and/or step 320 of the exemplary method300 discussed previously.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which the television controller600 locally determines an identify of a user-selected object, themodule(s) 654 may operate to utilize one or more of the user interfacemodule(s) 640 to interface with various sensors. Additionally, forexample, the module(s) 654 may operate to utilize the communicationmodule 630 (and communication interface modules 610 and 620) tocommunicate with external systems regarding various sensor signals.

Also for example, in another exemplary scenario in which the televisioncontroller 600 operates to receive information of the identity of auser-selected object in a television program from a source external tothe television controller 600, the module(s) 654 may operate to utilizethe communication module 630 (and communication interface modules 610and 620) to communicate with such external source.

The exemplary television controller 600 may also, for example, compriseone or more action determination module(s) 656 that operate to determine(e.g., based at least in part on the determined identity of auser-selected object (or associated information element) in a televisionprogram, one or more actions in which to engage with an entity local toand/or remote from the user's local television system. For example, suchmodule(s) 656 may operate to perform step 230 of the exemplary method200 discussed previously and/or step 330 of the exemplary method 300discussed previously.

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which such actiondetermination comprises analyzing a table or other data structurecorrelating object identification characteristics (or informationelement identification characteristics) to particular actions, themodule(s) 656 may operate to analyze such a table and/or other datastructure stored in the memory 660. Additionally for example, in anexemplary scenario in which such action determination comprisesinteracting with the user to determine an initial action and/orsubsequent action related to the identified user-selected object (orassociated information element), the module(s) 656 may operate toutilize the user interface module(s) 640 to perform such userinteraction.

The exemplary television controller 600 may additionally comprise one ormore action performance modules 658 that operate to perform the one ormore interactions determined by the action determination module(s) 656.For example, the action performance module(s) 658 may operate to performstep 240 of the exemplary method 200 discussed previously and/or step340 of the exemplary method 300 discussed previously.

For example, in a non-limiting exemplary scenario in which a determinedinteraction comprises retrieving information associated with an object(or related information element) from memory of an entity remote fromthe user's local television system (e.g., a memory of a networked entityassociated with a particular information element or a portion thereof, amemory of a networked entity of a commercial enterprise associated witha particular information element or portion thereof, etc.), themodule(s) 658 may operate to communicate with such memory of the remoteentity (e.g., either directly, for example, utilizing DMA and/orindirectly utilizing an interface of the remote entity). For example,the module(s) 658 may operate to utilize the communication module 630(and first communication interface module 610 and/or secondcommunication interface module 620) to communicate with such remoteentity. Such a remote entity may, for example, comprise a communicationinfrastructure component of a television system, a television servercomponent, a cable and/or satellite head-end station, a networkedinformation server, a remote computer communicatively coupled to thetelevision, a web-server or database of a commercial enterprise, etc.

Also for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which a determinedaction comprises searching for information, the module(s) 658 mayoperate to perform a search for such information. In such a scenario,the module(s) 658 may, for example, operate to perform such a search inmemory of other television system components and/or other networkedentities (e.g., web-servers or databases of commercial enterprises) thatare remote from the user's local television system (e.g., directlyutilizing direct memory access and/or utilizing a search interfaceprovided by a remote entity). For example, the module(s) 658 may operateto perform such a search in such remote entities utilizing thecommunication module 630 (and first communication interface module 610and/or second communication interface module 620) to communicate withsuch remote entities. For example, such remote entities may provide aninterface specifically adapted to request and/or search for informationstored in and/or accessible to such remote entities. In such a scenario,the module(s) 658 may operate in accordance with such interface.

In an exemplary scenario, a remote entity may operate in accordance witha protocol in which a requestor requests (via a communication network)information associated with a particular user-selected object (orassociated information element), and the remote entity responds to sucha request by communicating the requested information back to therequestor. In such a scenario, the module(s) 658 would operate inaccordance with such protocol when interacting with the remote entityvia the communication network.

Additionally for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which adetermined action comprises interfacing with a user of the televisioncontroller 600, the module(s) 658 may operate to utilize the userinterface module(s) 640 to provide the user interface.

For example, in an exemplary scenario in which a determined actioncomprises presenting object information (e.g., information of auser-selected information element) and/or different views of the objectto a user, the module(s) 658 may operate to utilize the user interfacemodule(s) 640 to perform such output (e.g., on the optional display 670of the television controller 600 if such a display 670 is included).Also for example, the module(s) 658 may operate to utilize thecommunication module 630 (and first communication interface module 610and/or second communication interface module 620) to communicate withone or more other local television system components (e.g., atelevision, television receiver, personal computing device or system,etc. coupled to the television controller 600) to provide suchinformation to such one or more other local television system componentsfor presentation on respective output displays of such one or more otherlocal television system components.

Further for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which a determinedaction comprises establishing and/or managing a communication sessionbetween the user and another system entity (e.g., a television systemand/or non-television system entity remote from the user's localtelevision system), the module(s) 658 may operate to utilize the userinterface module(s) 640 to provide the user interface and utilize thecommunication module(s) 630 (and first communication interface module610 and/or second communication interface module 620) to communicate toperform communication link establishment and/or management.

Still further for example, in a non-limiting scenario in which adetermined action comprises notifying one or more other televisionsystem and/or other networked entities of the user's selection of theuser-selected object (e.g., a networked entity associated with aninformation element, a networked entity associated with an informationsource that is associated with an information element, a productionenterprise, a distribution enterprise, a rating company, an advertisingagency, etc.), the module(s) 658 may operate to utilize thecommunication module(s) 630 (and first communication interface module610 and/or second communication interface module 620) to perform suchnotification.

Though not illustrated, the exemplary television controller 600 may, forexample, comprise one or more modules that operate to perform any or allof the continued processing discussed previously with regard to step 295of the exemplary method 200 and step 395 of the exemplary method 300,discussed previously. Such modules (e.g., as with the one or moremodules 654, 656 and 658) may be performed by the processor(s) 650executing instructions stored in the memory 660.

Though the previous discussions of FIGS. 4-6 presented various exemplarymodules of a television 400, television receiver 500 and televisioncontroller 600, as discussed previously, various aspects of the presentinvention may be performed in a distributed system (e.g., by a pluralityof components of the user's local television system). Accordingly, thescope of various aspects of the present invention should not be limitedto performance by a single television system component (or device)unless explicitly claimed.

Turning next to FIG. 7, such figure is a diagram illustrating exemplarymodules and/or sub-modules for a local television system 700, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention. The exemplarylocal television system 700 may share any or all aspects with any of thetelevision 400, television receiver 500 and/or television controller 600illustrated in FIGS. 4-6 and discussed above. The exemplary localtelevision system 700 may, for example, share any or all characteristicswith one or more of the exemplary televisions 140 and 141, televisioncontrollers 160 and 161, television receiver 151, television provider110 and/or third party program information provider illustrated in FIG.1 and discussed previously. Also, the exemplary local television system700 (e.g., various modules thereof) may operate to perform any or all ofthe functionality discussed previously with regard to the exemplarymethods 200 and 300 illustrated in FIGS. 2-3 and discussed previously.The components of the exemplary local television system 700 may bedisposed in a single television system component (e.g., a singletelevision, a single television receiver, a single televisioncontroller, etc.) or dispersed in a plurality of television systemcomponents (e.g., a plurality of components of a user's local televisionsystem, a combination of components comprising one or more components ofthe user's local television system and one or more components remote tothe user's local television system, etc.).

For example, the local television system 700 comprises a processor 730.Such a processor 730 may, for example, share any or all characteristicswith the processors 450, 550 and 650 discussed with regard to FIGS. 4-6.Also for example, the local television system 700 comprises a memory740. Such memory 740 may, for example, share any or all characteristicswith the memory 460, 560 and 660 discussed with regard to FIGS. 4-6.

Also for example, the local television system 700 may comprise any of avariety of user interface module(s) 750. Such user interface module(s)750 may, for example, share any or all characteristics with the userinterface module(s) 440, 540 and 640 discussed previously with regard toFIGS. 4-6. For example and without limitation, the user interfacemodule(s) 750 may comprise: a display device, a camera (for still ormoving picture acquisition), a speaker, an earphone (e.g., wired orwireless), a microphone, a video screen (e.g., a touch screen), avibrating mechanism, a keypad, and/or any of a variety of other userinterface devices (e.g., a mouse, a trackball, a touch pad, touchscreen, light pen, game controlling device, etc.).

The exemplary local television system 700 may also, for example,comprise any of a variety of communication modules (705, 706, and 710).Such communication module(s) may, for example, share any or allcharacteristics with the communication interface module(s) 410, 420,510, 520, 610 and 620 discussed previously with regard to FIGS. 4-6. Forexample and without limitation, the communication interface module(s)710 may comprise: a Bluetooth interface module; an IEEE 802.11, 802.15,802.16 and/or 802.20 module; any of a variety of cellulartelecommunication interface modules (e.g., GSM/GPRS/EDGE,CDMA/CDMA2000/1x-EV-DO, WCDMA/HSDPA/HSUPA, TDMA/PDC, WiMAX, etc.); anyof a variety of position-related communication interface modules (e.g.,GPS, A-GPS, etc.); any of a variety of wired/tethered communicationinterface modules (e.g., USB, Fire Wire, RS-232, HDMI, Ethernet,wireline and/or cable modem, etc.); any of a variety of communicationinterface modules related to communicating with external memory devices;etc. The exemplary local television system 700 is also illustrated ascomprising various wired 706 and/or wireless 705 front-end modules thatmay, for example, be included in the communication interface modulesand/or utilized thereby.

The exemplary local television system 700 may also comprise any of avariety of signal processing module(s) 790. Such signal processingmodule(s) 790 may share any or all characteristics with modules of theexemplary television 400, television receiver 500 and/or televisioncontroller 600 that perform signal processing. Such signal processingmodule(s) 790 may, for example, be utilized to assist in processingvarious types of information discussed previously (e.g., with regard tosensor processing, position determination, video processing, imageprocessing, audio processing, general user interface information dataprocessing, etc.). For example and without limitation, the signalprocessing module(s) 790 may comprise: video/graphics processing modules(e.g. MPEG-2, MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, JPEG, TIFF, 3-D, 2-D, MDDI, etc.);audio processing modules (e.g., MP3, AAC, MIDI, QCELP, AMR, CMX, etc.);and/or tactile processing modules (e.g., Keypad I/O, touch screenprocessing, motor control, etc.).

In summary, various aspects of the present invention provide a systemand method in a television system for providing information associatedwith a user-selected information element in a television program. Whilethe invention has been described with reference to certain aspects andembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material tothe teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to theparticular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include allembodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, in a display system, for responding touser selection of an object in a video stream, the method comprising:determining an identity of a user-selected object in the video streambeing presented to a user; executing a web browser in response to theselection of the user; determining, based at least in part on theidentity of the user-selected object, one or more actions to perform inthe web browser related to the user selected objects; and performing theone or more actions.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or moreactions comprise accessing on-line financial tools.
 3. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more actions comprise equity trading.
 4. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions comprise providing anon-line order form.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or moreactions comprise providing sports information.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the one or more actions comprise providing news information. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more actions compriseproviding weather information.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein saiddetermining one or more actions comprises determining one or morepotential actions, and presenting the one or more potential actions tothe user for user-selection of at least one of the one or more potentialactions.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said identity determining,said action determining, and said action performing are performed in auser's local display system.
 10. The method of claim 1, comprisingproviding a user interface by which the user may control a manner inwhich the one or more actions are performed.
 11. A display system forresponding to user selection of an object in video stream, the displaysystem comprising: at least one module operable to, at least: determinean identity of a user-selected object in the video stream beingpresented to a user, where the user-selected object corresponds to aselected information element; execute a web browser in response to theselection of the user determine, based at least in part on the identityof the user-selected object, one or more actions to perform in the webbrowser related to the user selected objects; and perform the one ormore actions.
 12. The display system of claim 11, wherein the one ormore actions comprise accessing on-line financial tools.
 13. The displaysystem of claim 11, wherein the one or more actions comprise equitytrading.
 14. The display system of claim 11, wherein the one or moreactions comprise providing an on-line order form.
 15. The display systemof claim 11, wherein the one or more actions comprise providing sportsinformation.
 16. The display system of claim 11, wherein the one or moreactions comprise providing news information.
 17. The display system ofclaim 11, wherein the one or more actions comprise providing weatherinformation.
 18. The display system of claim 11, wherein said at leastone module is operable to determine one or more actions by, at least inpart, operating to determine one or more potential actions, and presentthe one or more potential actions to the user for user-selection of atleast one of the one or more potential actions.
 19. The display systemof claim 11, wherein said at least one module is located in a user'slocal display system.
 20. In a non-transitory computer readable storagemedium having stored therein instructions executable by a programmedprocessor for responding to user selection of an object in video stream,the storage medium comprising instructions for: determining an identityof a user-selected object in the video stream being presented to a user;initiating a web browser in response to the selection of the user;determining, based at least in part on the identity of the user-selectedobject, one or more actions to perform in the web browser related to theuser selected objects; and performing the one or more actions.